Monarch Teacher Network of Canada instructor Laurel Merriam, Friends of Presqu'ile Park member Don Davis, and "Monarch Butterfly Crusader" Carol Pasternak releasing tagged monarch butterflies at Presqu'ile Provincial Park in 2023. The Friends of Presqu'ile Park, a charitable organization devoted to preserving and protecting the natural heritage of Presqu'ile Provincial Park, invites the public to join park staff and volunteers on August 30 and 31, 2025 for the annual "Monarchs and Migrants Weekend" at the park in the Municipality of Brighton. (Photo: Jaime Rojo / National Geographic)
From bird-banding demonstrations to tagging monarch butterflies, community members are invited to watch and learn about the fall migration of birds, butterflies, and insects by attending an educational event in Northumberland County on the Labour Day weekend.
The Friends of Presqu’ile Park, a charitable organization devoted to preserving and protecting the natural heritage of Presqu’ile Provincial Park, is inviting the public to join park staff and volunteers on Saturday, August 30 and Sunday, August 31 for “Monarchs and Migrants Weekend” at the Presqu’ile Provincial Park, which is located at 328 Presqu’ile Parkway in the Municipality of Brighton.
Visitors will learn why birds are banded and can join Don Davis, guest field naturalist, to watch live monarch butterfly tagging and learn more about the insects’ annual migration.
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Monarchs and Migrants Weekend is an important educational and environmental event, according to Beverlie Cook, communications committee chair for The Friends of Presqu’ile Park.
“We want to build awareness about the many species that inhabit the park and to cultivate an understanding of the need to protect them for generations to come,” Cook told kawarthaNOW.
She said that goal drives the programs presented at the park all summer long through the Ontario Parks’ “Discovery Program.” The “Discovery” team, alongside the Friends of Presqu’ile Park, offers four special event weekends each year highlighting some of the natural and cultural features of Presqu’ile.
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“The goal of these special Discovery Programs is always to provide opportunities for visitors to learn more about the lives of the inhabitants of Presqu’ile Provincial Park,” Cook noted.
“There will be guided bird walks to allow visitors to see the many species of shorebirds fuelling up before beginning their long fall migration to their winter homes. There are 25 species of shorebirds regularly seen at Presqu’ile. They often stay well into late fall if the weather remains warm enough.”
Cook said the best outcome for the weekend would encompass favourable weather, several visitors enjoying the many habitats of the beautiful park, and plenty of birds and monarchs to observe.
“Presqu’ile can be a great spot to see migrating monarch butterflies during the first two weeks of September,” Cook noted. “A highlight is always the monarch butterfly tagging.”
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This will be the 41st year that monarchs will be tagged at the park. Presqu’ile attracts so many monarchs because of its abundant supply of nectar sources and milkweed – the monarch butterfly’s main food sources.
“The monarchs need to fuel up before their long migration to Mexico,” Cook said.
Another feature of the Monarchs and Migrants Weekend is a children’s program at the Nature Centre. The Nature Centre, Lighthouse Interpretive Centre, and Friends of Presqu’ile Gift Shop will all be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will also be the final Friends of Presqu’ile Park’s fundraising barbecue for the season at the amphitheatre on Saturday between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.
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Program details for the Monarchs and Migrants weekend are still being finalized, but park staff and volunteers will have a full slate of activities for visitors, Cook said. Programs are open to campers and day visitors alike, and are free with park admission.
A detailed schedule of events and demonstrations will be posted on social media and around the park. Check out The Friends of Presqu’ile Park’s website at www.friendsofpresquile.on.ca for more information, including links to the group’s social media accounts.
The Friends of Presqu’ile Park works to enhance the educational opportunities for park visitors, to provide volunteer assistance for park activities, and to provide funding for selected educational and environmental projects.
encoreNOW for August 25, 2025 features (from left to right, top and bottom) Martin Julien performing "Magic Lies: An Evening with W.O. Mitchell" for New Stages Theatre, Mimi O'Bonsawin, Russell deCarle, Julian Taylor and Logan Staats, Creekside Music Festival, and the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra's Musical Nature Walk at Tecasy Ranch. (kawarthaNOW collage
encoreNOW is a bi-weekly column by Paul Rellinger where he features upcoming music, theatre, film, and performing arts events and news from across the Kawarthas.
This week, Paul highlights Magic Lies: An Evening with W.O. Mitchell at the Jalynn Bennett Amphitheatre in Peterborough, Mimi O’Bonsawin in concert at Port Hope Memorial Park, Russell deCarle’s appearance at the Minden’s historic Dominion Hotel, Grove Theatre’s welcoming of singer-songwriters Julian Taylor and Logan Staats to Fenelon Falls, the 6th annual Creekside Music Festival in Apsley, and the fusion of classical music and nature at Tecasy Ranch in Trent Hills.
W.O. Mitchell’s storytelling magic returns to Peterborough
Barbara and Orm Mitchell wrote “Magic Lies: An Evening with W.O. Mitchell” in memory of Orm’s father, the iconic Canadian writer best known for his 1947 novel “Who Has Seen the Wind” that portrays life on the Canadian Prairies in the 1930s from the point of view of a small boy. (Supplied photo)
What began in early June is winding down towards its conclusion at the lovely Jalynn Bennett Amphitheatre in the courtyard at Trent University’s Catharine Parr Traill College off Dublin Street in Peterborough.
This year’s edition of the William and Nona Heaslip Foundation Summer Festival has seen 10 musical and theatrical performances staged at the venue on Thursday nights during the summer, leading to the season closer on August 28.
Presented in partnership with Peterborough’s New Stages Theatre, Magic Lies: An Evening with W.O. Mitchell is a staged reading that celebrates the storytelling of the late famed Canadian writer William Ormond Mitchell.
Co-written by his son, Trent University professor emeritus Orm Mitchell, and Orm’s wife Barbara, it was first presented by New Stages back in February. Reprising his role as W.O. Mitchell is Canadian stage veteran Martin Julien, with accompanying music by Peterborough-based pianist Rob Phillips.
That this is being staged at Traill College is not without significance. The Saskatchewan-born W.O. Mitchell frequently gave readings and led writing workshops at Trent, and is the holder of an honourary degree from the university.
Mitchell remains best known for his 1947 coming-of-age novel Who Has Seen The Wind. Portraying life on the Prairies from the point of view of a small boy, it sold close to a million copies in Canada. In addition, as a broadcaster, his CBC Radio series Jake And The Kid, also about Prairie life, aired from 1950 to 1956. For his cumulative work of novels, short stories and plays, Mitchell was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1973.
Magic Lies: An Evening with W.O. Mitchell premiered in September 2023 at the Rosebud Theatre near Calgary, breathing new life into Mitchell’s wit, wisdom and belief in the power of storytelling.
The Jalynn Bennett Amphitheatre staging begins at 7 p.m. While admission is free, seating is limited, so plan to get there early or bring some lawn chairs.
Port Hope’s Road To Cultivate wraps up with Mimi O’Bonsawin
VIDEO: “Here’s to the Women” – Mimi O’Bonsawin
Yet another summer-long outdoor music series wraps up August 28 at Memorial Park in Port Hope.
Road To Cultivate has seen free-admission concerts staged Thursday evenings since July 3. Now the concert series, a prelude to the September 26 to 28 Cultivate Festival event featuring live music and food at the Haute Goat Farm near Port Hope, comes to an end with a performance by contemporary roots singer-songwriter Mimi O’Bonsawin.
A member of Odanak First Nation, O’Bonsawin is a prolific songwriter with her two albums to her credit, Willow and Boréale, which were both released in 2023. Weaving rhythm, storytelling, and spirit into her songs, she immerses her audience into a soulful journey.
Cultivate is a charitable organization that advances arts education and public appreciation for music, performance and creativity. The upcoming fall festival is billed as “a big picnic, a music festival, a block party, a playground for all ages, and an arts experience” that leaves attendees feeling “fully connected to the things that matter most.”
More information and updates on the festival can be found at cultivatefestival.ca.
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Minden’s historic Dominion Hotel welcomes Russell deCarle
VIDEO: “So Crazy About You” – Russell deCarle
Take a historic venue in Minden and add a top-tier Canadian musician, and you’ve got a can’t-miss recipe for a terrific night out.
On Saturday (August 30) at the Dominion Hotel Pub, former Prairie Oyster frontman Russell deCarle fronts his trio, running through material from four solo albums recorded since 2012, the latest being The End of the Road.
The singer-songwriter remains yet another great example of a musician who has fashioned a very active and successful solo career after enjoying years of success with a band.
It was just more than 50 years ago that the singer and then bass player hooked up with guitarists Keith Glass and Dennis Delorme to form Prairie Oyster, a union that lasted four years before each went their separate ways.
Reunited in 1982 with the addition of fiddler John Allen, keyboardist Joan Besen, and drummer Bruce Moffat, Prairie Oyster subsequently hit its stride commercially, recording eight albums that spawned 10 hit singles, and collecting six Juno Awards and 11 Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMAs) on its way to its 2008 induction into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame.
During a November 2024 interview prior to an appearance at Peterborough’s Gordon Best Theatre, deCarle told kawarthaNOW that he remains thrilled to now be “telling his own story.” He added he’s “singing better, playing better, writing better songs” than he ever has, “and having more fun than I ever had.” No doubt his Dominion Hotel show will provide full evidence of that.
The Russell deCarle Trio takes to the stage at 7:30 p.m. The venue is located at 113 Main Street in the heart of Minden — right where it has been since opening in 1865. Tickets are $35, available in advance online at dominionhotel.gpr.globalpaymentsinc.ca.
Fenelon Falls’ Grove Theatre scores a terrific musical duo
VIDEO: “Seeds” – Julian Taylor
If the Grove Theatre was able to secure just one of Julian Taylor or Logan Staats for a concert, that would have been a treat. To secure a show featuring both together, that’s quite something.
On Wednesday, September 3, the duo will bring their “Songs and Stories” tour to the outdoor amphitheatre in Fenelon Falls, bringing with them their respective huge catalogues of music.
Of Caribbean and Mohawk ancestry, Toronto-raised Taylor began his music career as a co-founder and member of the alt-rock band Staggered Crossing in the late 1990s before establishing himself as a solo artist. Come 2020, with five albums under his belt, The Ridge proved to be his breakthrough album. It earned two Juno Award nominations, a Polaris Prize nomination, and, for its creator, a Canadian Folk Music Award as Solo Artist of the Year.
Taylor’s 2022 follow-up, Beyond The Reservoir, received equal critical acclaim, bringing him another Juno Award nomination, and Roots Artist of the Year honours from the Country Music Association of Ontario. Two more albums have followed, and with them, continued acclaim.
VIDEO: “Deadman” – Logan Staats
Staats, meanwhile, has two studio albums to his credit, 2015’s Goodbye Goldia and 2023’s A Light In The Attic.
Raised in Brantford of Mohawk descent (he was born on Six Nations of the Grand River Territory), Staats really his stride in 2018, winning the first season of CTV’s reality TV music competition The Launch. His performance of “The Lucky Ones” sealed the deal, that song going on to hit number one on the Canadian iTunes chart and winning a 2019 Indigenous Music Award as Best Radio Single.
Tickets to the duo’s Grove Theatre show are $68.50 including fees and are available online at www.grovetheatre.ca.
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Apsley’s Creekside Music Festival returns for its sixth year
VIDEO: “Steady The Wheel” – The Redhill Valleys
What began as one-off in 2018 has evolved into a highly anticipated multi-act outdoor musical festival in North Kawartha Township that returns for its sixth year from Friday, September 5 to Sunday, September 7.
Held on an Eels Creek-hugging property just off Highway 28 in Apsley, the Creekside Music Festival will see multiple music acts take to the stage, with event proceeds benefiting a select organization or cause. Past beneficiaries have included JumpStart, Apsley minor hockey and, last year, Roter’s Reach Mental Health Awareness.
This year’s stage lineup is as varied as it is long: Tommy Youngsteen, The Redhill Valleys, Epic Eagles, Melissa Payne’s Super Band, Mudmen, Russell deCarle, VANCAMP, David Celia, Caitlin O’Connor’s Detention Club, Gordie Tentrees, Montana Sky, KYRA, Alycia Hebert, Mason Moxley, Georgia Rose, Ebonie Kauffeldt, Alex McMann, Still Picking Country Band, Nephton Ridge Runners, and The Ross Singers.
Weekend and day passes are available now, but don’t delay as the audience will be limited to around 600 people. Weekend passes are $145 ($115 for seniors or students), with day passes $65 for Friday and $95 for Saturday, available at www.creeksidemusicfestival.ca. Performances on Sunday are open to the public by donation.
Gates open at 4 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. on Saturday. Artisans and food vendors will be on site. On-site parking is available only to bands and campers (all campsites are sold out); all others must park at the North Kawartha Community Centre where a shuttle bus will be running every 10 minutes to the festival site.
Classical music meets nature at Tecasy Ranch
For the second year in a row, the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra is partnering with the Peterborough Field Naturalists to combine music and nature at Tecasy Ranch in Trent Hills in Peterborough County. On September 6, 2025, field guides will walk participants through an easy forested trail walk that will be interspersed with ensembles of music performances. Pictured are Jaye Marsh on flute and Jennifer Burford on violin during the inaugural event in 2024. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Symphony Orchestra)
From the Something Different File, let me serve up the Musical Nature Walk set for Saturday, September 6 at Tecasy Ranch off Bolton’s Road in Trent Hills.
Last year, a collaboration between the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra (PSO) and the Peterborough Field Naturalists saw the inaugural event held. Guests were divided into small groups, assigned a guide and naturalists team, and led on a hike along walking trails where, at four stops, small orchestra ensembles performed.
It proved immensely popular, hence the decision to not only bring it back, but to expand it with more musicians and two walking tour sessions, one at 12:30 p.m. and another at 4 p.m.
Attendees will be organized into small groups who will be guided by a Tecasy Ranch staff member and a field naturalist along the trail, with stops along the way to rest and listen to musicians performing classical ensemble compositions of their choice.
PSO solo harpist Liane James will welcome guests at the pavilion as they begin the walk that features six different musical stations along the trail: Bryan Allen will perform on solo marimba, Victoria Yeh will perform on the violin with PSO principal bassist Fil Stasiak, PSO principal violinist Jennifer Burford will perform with principal cellist Zuzanna Chomicka-Newnham, PSO principal violist Adriana Arcila Tascón will perform with oboist Nancy Vanderslice, and PSO maestro Michael Newnham will perform trombone duets with David Archer.
Tickets are $70 for adults and $16.50 for children 12 and under (the walk is not recommended for children under six) and are available at thepso.org, where information about the PSO’s upcoming 2025-26 season is also available. Note that dogs are not permitted and the event rain date is September 7.
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Encore
Let me add myself to the many who are congratulating longtime local musicians Rick and Gaile Young on their achievement of a remarkable milestone, namely their having performed for 20 years at the Black Horse Pub in downtown Peterborough. In a word, wow. It was back in 2005 that former pub owner Ray Kapoor brought the pair on for a regular gig. Subsequent owners Desmond Vandenberg and Sajen Ganeshalingam kept Rick and Gailie on, with their Monday night Crash & Burn event since bringing countless local performers, new and old, to the stage. On Monday (August 25), a celebration of the milestone was held at the pub; an event that, as always, had community at its centre. Here’s to many more years for what is nothing short of a unique-to-Peterborough live music tradition.
The Electric City Culture Council (EC3), Peterborough’s arms-length not-for-profit municipal arts council, has brought on a new programming director. An artist with a strong background in arts administration and research, Alexandra Box most recently worked at the Art Gallery of Peterborough. Originally from London, Ontario, she has called Peterborough home for more than two years now. Her new role will see her support EC3’s programs, research and operations, strengthening the creative ecology of the city and the surrounding area.
Peterborough resident Noella Koshul, a grief counsellor and end-of-life doula, crafts sparkling, colourful, and unique birdbaths made from second-hand serving platters, bowls, and other dishware that she finds at thrift stores and yard sales. Though originally a hobby to help her relax and de-stress from work, she now sells them through Facebook and Kijiji. (Photos courtesy of Noella Koshul)
It’s been proven that watching birds can be beneficial to both mind and body and, according to Peterborough resident Noella Koshul, so is the process of making a bath for them.
She knows this firsthand because, for the last year and a half, she has been collecting second-hand pieces of dishware to piece together into colourful birdbaths that sparkle in the sun and provide water to birds and other garden-dwelling creatures — and also help her de-stress from work.
“I just really like the idea of making something rather than buying something,” Koshul says. “Not that there’s not beautiful stuff out there, but it’s just that much more meaningful when it’s something you’ve created. It pleases my inner magpie — they’re shiny and sparkly outside and they are an absolute delight to do. I’m completely out of my head when I’m doing them, which is the biggest benefit.”
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As someone who runs a grief counselling and end-of-life doula private practice in Peterborough and is an instructor in psychology in the nursing program at Loyalist College, Koshul realized she wasn’t listening to the advice she was dishing out.
“To my clients and stressed-out students, I’m always extolling the virtues of working with your hands as a way to de-stress and reset, and I thought ‘I always say that, but I never do it,'” she says, adding that she made it her New Year’s resolution in 2024. “It was just to try new things and to try making things that I’ve never tried before. I love to bake and I’m trying to teach myself watercolours, and I thought this is one I can actually feel good about.”
She can feel good about it because instead of purchasing brand new products to create her birdbaths, Koshul began her new hands-on project by repurposing older items that she had inherited from her family. When she ran out of her own dishware to transform, she began digging around at yard sales and local thrift shops like the Habitat for Humanity ReStores and Vinnie’s.
With no formal art training, Noella Koshul goes to thrift stores and yard sales to find dishware that is unique, colourful, and in interesting shapes to create one-of-a-kind bird baths. The birdbaths not only supply water to birds but also squirrels, chipmunks, and other garden critters who quickly become accustomed to the water source. (Photos courtesy of Noella Koshul)
“They can’t sell it all and ultimately a lot does end up in landfills, so I thought this is just a fun way for me to use it,” Koshul says. “It’s a low-cost hobby, it’s relaxing, and I end up with something beautiful at the end of it. Honestly, it’s really addictive and I find myself getting excited about it.”
When she’s in the thrift store she says she’s on the hunt for vases, bowls, platters, and other dishes that are “unusual, colourful pieces, in interesting shapes” and, when she finds colours that look nice together, she just “plays.”
“Because I have zero training in art at all, I’m really just putting things together,” she admits. “It’s not a science of colours or shapes or anything, it’s just things that I find really visually pleasing and then I just cross my fingers that other people will like them. You just have to want to play with shapes and colours, and that’s it.”
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“I’m creating these visual pieces of what I think are art for my backyard and for friends, and that’s the beauty of it,” Koshul says. “I’m not an artist and I don’t have to be an artist, but I still end up with these really beautiful structures.”
Koshul is humble in labelling herself as not being an artist considering her creativity shines not only through the birdbaths themselves, but the stories she gives them when she lists them for sale on Facebook Marketplace and Kijiji, alongside recommendations on the flowers and plants they would look best beside.
From a birdbath reminiscent of the King’s Vegas jumpsuits that brings out a touch of ’70s flair to one that pays homage to the Chrysler Building with an art deco design, there’s no limit to Koshul’s playful imagination.
“I love writing. I write seriously for myself and that’s another way just of processing life and it’s a pleasure for me. It seemed fun to introduce them to people online as though they had a personality.”
Noella Koshul often posts whimsical stories about her one-of-a-kind birdbaths when she posts them for sale on Facebook and Kijiji. With an “Art Deco” feel about the piece on the left, she notes it’s a homage to the Chrysler Building. (Photos courtesy of Noella Koshul)
Koshul adds that, since many of the pieces are second-hand and often from estate sales, she enjoys imagining the homes they came from and the past lives they’ve lived.
“I know that these pieces were valuable, not just in terms of dollars … I’m sure these pieces meant a lot to the people who had them originally,” she says.
“Kind of a nice thing to think about is where these used to live before I got my hands on them, and then introducing them to a different bowl or a different vase that they didn’t live with all their life in somebody’s china cabinet. They get a new life and then get sent out to the world.”
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Beyond being personally good for her mental health, Koshul recognizes that making bird baths is good for the planet and the creatures living in her garden.
“It’s such a relaxing, beautiful thing to sit and watch the birds in your backyard,” she says, noting the lack of rain this summer. “We’ve even got chipmunks now using them in our backyard because there aren’t other water sources really anywhere except these birdbaths. I’m really conscious about filling them twice a day now just to make sure that those little critters have something to drink.”
She says the birds and squirrels have picked up on her daily routine of cleaning and refilling the birdbaths in the morning, and they often wait on her fence for her to fill them up before they have their morning drink.
“They really do get used to it. Just like with food, water is an absolute essential for them, so they learn where it is, where they can get it, and quickly alter their routines to match yours. I see them probably more now that I’ve got the birdbaths out there than I ever did before.”
Pictured in 2019, Noella Koshul is a Peterborough-based grief counsellor and end-of-life doula and instructor at Loyalist College. Realizing she was not taking her own advice when telling her students and clients to work with their hands to “de-stress and reset,” in made a New Year’s resolution in 2024 to do just that. What began as a fun project turning second-hand dishware into bird baths has turned into a side business where she sells the baths on Facebook and Kijiji. (Photo via Porchlight Support website)
Having given away and sold upwards of 25 baths, Koshul adds that she gets the same feedback from others who have her birdbaths bringing life to their own gardens.
“People send me little notes and say they saw robins or chickadees or finches in the baths and I get little reports about how well-received they are in the avian community,” she says.
“I’ve had repeats customers purchase more than one from me and say that they’re really happy, and that it’s nice to sit out and watch birds flit about something pretty. That is an absolute thrill for me to hear.”
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Koshul says she is “shocked” anyone was interested in purchasing her birdbaths, considering it was intended to be just a relaxing activity for her — which it has been proven to be.
“It’s such a complete 180 from what I do for my work that it really gives my brain a chance to just shut off,” she says. “I love my work as a grief support worker and end-of-life support, and I love teaching, but those things can wear you down. They’re meaningful, but without some way to step away from that (so) your brain can completely turn off, you can end up burned out.”
“This has been fantastic. I actually feel so energized when I do it. It’s so much fun to play.”
Helping kids who experience a concussion to recover safely and “stay supported every step of the way” is one aim of an upcoming educational event in Peterborough for parents, teachers, coaches, and healthcare professionals.
Peterborough Athletic Concussion Awareness (PACA) and the Greater Peterborough Health Services Foundation (GPHSF) are hosting the first-ever Peterborough Concussion Summit from noon to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, October 28 at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough.
Presented by Gowland, Boriss Injury Lawyers, with financial support from the Ontario Brain Institute, the event is an important one for the Peterborough community, according to PACA project manager Ryan Sutton.
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“When a concussion happens, families are often left feeling uncertain and overwhelmed,” Sutton told kawarthaNOW. “Parents wonder what to do or how long their child should stay home, athletes feel frustrated by being sidelined, and teachers and coaches struggle with how to support recovery.”
“The Peterborough Concussion Summit is about giving our community clarity and confidence, with the tools to recognize, manage, and prevent concussions while helping young people return to school, sport, and daily life safely.”
Described in a media release as a dynamic half-day educational event, the summit is designed to bring together educators, healthcare professionals, coaches, parents, athletes, and students for meaningful conversations and practical learning around concussion management and recovery.
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The summit includes expert-led presentations, aimed at helping participants gain access to the latest research, treatment strategies, and real-world approaches for supporting students and athletes through concussion recovery, whether symptoms are new or persistent, organizers noted.
“The Peterborough Concussion Summit is about practical, evidence-informed tools that schools and sport can use the very next day, so kids recover safer and stay supported every step of the way,” Sutton said.
“We are bringing teachers, coaches, parents, and healthcare providers into the same room to move concussion care from confusion to coordination.”
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The summit will feature a keynote address, followed by three panel discussions. The first panel will focus on the “Return-To-Learn” protocol. The second panel will zero in on the “Return-To-Play” protocol, and the third panel will focus on fostering stronger connections between classrooms, sports and health care.
Each panel will be moderated by Peterborough family physician Dr. Steph Dallaire. Along with working with concussion patients, Dallaire’s perspective as both a coach and parent to children active in sports will help connect all the topics of focus for the day, according to the release.
Registration for the summit is $24 for adults and $14 for students (includes venue fees), with lunch and snacks included as part of registration. Doors open at 11 a.m.
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All proceeds from the event will be directed to the GPHSF Concussion Fund and used to support further concussion education and awareness opportunities. GPHSF, a non-profit foundation, is the primary funder of the PACA program and has been backing concussion-related programming for health care providers and the public in the Peterborough area for more than 15 years.
PACA was formed in April 2019 with the goal of increasing awareness while taking a community approach, “setting a new standard for communities who aim to tackle concussions.” The community-led team aims to increase concussion awareness by working under its four pillars: recognize, remove, manage, prevent.
As part of its eight-play 2025-26 season, New Stages Theatre will be restaging "It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play" at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre from December 10 to 14, 2025. Pictured is the cast from the original 2023 production (Megan Murphy, Brad Brackenridge, Kerry Griffin, M. John Kennedy, Ordena Stephens-Thompson, and musical director Gabriel Vaillant), all of whom will be reprising their roles, as will director Mark Wallace. (Photo: Dahlia Katz)
Single tickets are now on sale for New Stages Theatre’s 2025-26 season of contemporary professional theatre, featuring eight plays from comedy to music to drama — including the return of an acclaimed family-friendly holiday show — all staged at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough from September to June.
“Putting together a season that has a mix of contemporary pieces is one of our main focuses,” says artistic director Mark Wallace. “We will always look for a holiday show that we can do, and we want to have a good mix of playwrights of different genders, and diverse experiences and perspectives.”
“We want to make sure we cover a lot of different themes and issues through the year, and not just end up with one kind of season. There’s a lot of mixing and matching to find the right mix of comedies, dramas, and a little bit of music.”
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In curating this season’s line-up, New Stages has responded to a subscriber survey that found audiences were interested in seeing more comedic productions. While three of the plays this season are indeed comedies, Wallace assures they are still multi-faceted, offering light-hearted moments while also addressing serious topics.
“We need to make people laugh and we need to have lighter stuff, but we can’t avoid that there are some tougher, challenging things going on in the world and we want to confront those as well, and our audience tends to really appreciate that about us,” he says.
“We want to make you laugh and we want to make you think. What our subscribers are really passionate about is that we bring these award-winning contemporary plays that are being talked about that otherwise wouldn’t get programmed here. And, of course, we bring in professional actors from out of town to do it, along with some of our own best professional actors.”
Kicking off New Stages Theatre’s 2025-26 season, Jonathan Wilson will present a staged reading of his deeply personal solo show “A Public Display of Affection,” about being a queer youth in Toronto. The production is being presented at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in partnership with Ptbo-Nogo Pride on September 20, 2025 during Pride Week. (Photo: Dahlia Katz)
This mix of comedy and reflection is present right from the start of the season with a staged reading of A Public Display of Affection, written and performed by Jonathan Wilson. Presented at 7 p.m. on Saturday, September 20 during Peterborough-Nogojiwanong Pride Week, this deeply personal solo show excavates the lives, loves, and landmarks of Wilson’s queer youth on the streets of Toronto.
Wallace says the story — which mixes history, comedy, and poignant reflection in equal measure — is “a love letter to the LGBTQ+ community” that explores the AIDS crisis and how things have changed over time.
“It’s heart-wrenching at times, but it is very much a special piece — a confessional, a true testimony,” says Wallace. “I think everyone in this community will appreciate it, especially because we know that Toronto scene as well, living so close.”
The production is being staged in partnership with Ptbo Nogo Pride. The show is restricted to audiences aged 16 and up, as it contains strong language, including homophobic slurs, and discussion of mature and violent themes.
“This was a big hit in Toronto, sold out show after show, and he’s going to come up here and just do the show for one night,” says Wallace, who anticipates the Peterborough show will be a sell-out as well. “We’re thrilled to have that happen.”
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At 7 p.m. on Sunday, November 9, New Stages will present Footnote to Freedom, written and performed by Peterborough’s own Beau Dixon with his brother Lance Dixon. The show is a new musical about the life of their grandfather, George Dixon, who served in the No. 2 Construction Battalion — Canada’s first and only segregated Black battalion in World War I.
The musical is a workshop presentation of the Brand New Stages Festival, which New Stages first presented in February 2023 as a week-long showcase of new, emerging, and re-emerging theatre. This year, New Stages is spreading the productions throughout the season, although most of festival will still take place in Feburary.
“We wanted to keep this idea (of Brand New Stages) during the season, but it doesn’t have to be only one week — especially since subscribers might miss it if they’re away for the week,” says Wallace.
“We want to keep that idea of development and having new plays come to life and having opportunities to interact with audiences, without it being limited to one week. We’ll keep that festival vibe in February, but the spirit of it will start to be seen throughout the year.”
New Stages Theatre is presenting a Brand New Stages Festival workshop production of “Footnote to Freedom” on November 9, 2025. Written and performed by Peterborough’s own Beau Dixon with his brother Lance Dixon, the show is a musical about the life of their grandfather George Dixon (front, second from left), who served in the No. 2 Construction Battalion — Canada’s first and only segregated Black battalion in World War I. (Photo courtesy of Mary Beth Sunderland)
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By popular demand, New Stages will be bringing back their 2023 holiday hit It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, adapted from the film by Joe Landry, from Wednesday, December 10 to Sunday, December 14, with four evening performances at 7 p.m. from Wednesday to Saturday and two matinee performances at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Directed once again by Wallace, the show will see the return of the original cast from the 2023 production, including Megan Murphy, Brad Brackenridge, Kerry Griffin, M. John Kennedy, Ordena Stephens-Thompson, and music director Gabriel Vaillant.
“We heard so many positive things and we decided to bring it back,” Wallace says. “Because it was our first year doing a holiday show, it wasn’t as well attended as A Christmas Carol Comedy.”
Brad Brackenridge and Kerry Griffin are among the original cast who will be returning to the Market Hall stage for New Stages Theatre’s restaging of “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” from December 10 to 14, 2025. Megan Murphy, M. John Kennedy, Ordena Stephens-Thompson, and musical director Gabriel Vaillant will also be reprising their roles, with . New Stages artistic director Mark Wallace also returning as director. (Photo: Dahlia Katz)
That irreverent take on Charles Dickens’ classic tale, presented last December, starred Linda Kash as Scrooge and Kerry Griffin as every other character. It featured an audience holiday sing-along before the show and the Market Hall lobby was turned into a Christmas market.
Wallace notes that many audience members have said they appreciate the “lift in the season” from a holiday show, and restaging It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play so more people can see it is a way to do that.
“It’s going to be so fun to revisit this piece,” Wallace says. “What we try to do with these holiday shows is bring joy. It’s not just for people who celebrate Christmas. It brings the feeling of generosity and joy that is so needed in the world.”
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New Stages will kick off the new year at 7 p.m. on Saturday, January 24 with a staged reading of Women of the Fur Trade, a comedy by Frances Koncan that shows an alternative side to the typically male-centred history of the Canadian fur trade and historical figures like Louis Riel.
Set in “18 hundred and something-something,” the satirical story is told from the perspective of three women: an Ojibwe, a Métis, and a British settler. The twist is that they all speak in 21st-century slang.
February and March will see two Brand New Stages Festival events, with the first set for 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 26 when New Stages presents a staged reading of The Cull, written by Michele Riml and Michael St. John Smith and directed by Peter Pasyk.
First produced by Vancouver’s Arts Club Theatre, the powerful drama is now entering a new stage of development. It follows a group of old friends who gather at a luxurious home to celebrate one couple’s 25th wedding anniversary as wildfires burn in the B.C. mountains. After a business offer uncovers a secret, the friendships of the tight-knit group are tested.
Actor and playwright Steve Ross, whose acclaimed semi-autobiographical comedic drama “12 Dinners” will be presented as a staged reading by New Stages Theatre on March 1, 2026, with New Stages founder and former artistic director Randy Read directing. (Photo: Trish Lindstrom)
The second Brand New Stages Festival event will see New Stages founder and former artistic director Randy Read direct a staged reading of 12 Dinners by Stratford Festival actor and playwright Steve Ross at 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 1.
Previously produced at Stratford’s Here for Now Festival and this season with Talk is Free Theatre in Toronto and Barrie, the acclaimed semi-autobiographical comedic drama is about a series of meals Ross shares with his parents over a period of several months.
Other events of the Brand New Stages Festival will be announced leading up to February, though they will not be included within subscriber packages.
After a break in April, the New Stages season continues on Saturday, May 2 and Sunday May 3 with a staged reading of Paul and Linda Plan a Threesome by Jane Cooper Ford.
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Wallace promises the play to be as entertaining as it sounds — especially with Peterborough’s own Linda Kash among the confirmed cast.
“It’s about a successful, serious couple living in a fancy neighbourhood,” he says. “Their marriage is stale so they try and spice it up by having a threesome — but they advertise for it on Kijiji and things don’t go as planned.”
A sold-out and held-over hit at Stratford’s Here for Now Festival in 2024, there will be an evening performance at 7 p.m. on Saturday and a 2 p.m. matinee performance on Sunday. The play is both very funny and very inappropriate for younger audiences with its strong and explicit language and mature themes.
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New Stages will wrap up its 2025-26 season at 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 14 with a staged reading of Clyde’s by Lynn Nottage, the Pulitzer-winning playwright of Sweat (which New Stages presented as a staged reading in 2023). Though Nottage is known for dramas, Clyde’s is a new comedy about a truck-stop sandwich joint that employs people who are just out of incarceration.
“We hear about their lives as they’re re-assimilating and trying to get out of the system, but they also get inspired by the pursuit of making a perfect sandwich,” says Wallace. “It’s quite funny and it’s a very diverse cast, so I’m excited to bring that show here.”
For the 2025-26 season, all shows at the Market Hall will have reserved seating, where subscribers and individual ticket holders can select their preferred seating. Wallace notes that very few subscription packages are still available and individual tickets are already selling fast.
“I know that some people in Peterborough leave their ticket-buying decisions to the last minute, and it may not be wise to do that this year with some of these shows,” says Wallace.
New Stages Theatre’s artistic director Mark Wallace announced the 2025-26 season to a packed house at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre on June 14, 2025 after the final production of the 2024-25 season. Based on feedback from a subscriber survey, the new season includes more comedic productions. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
New Stages offers a premium subscription package which includes priority access to all eight shows for $210 including taxes and venue fees, or a flex pack with the choice of six shows for $175 all-in. In addition to the cost savings, subscriber benefits include being able to transfer tickets to others if you are unable to make it to a show.
Single ticket prices range from $25 to $40 depending on the show, with a lower-priced “welcome rate” available at each show for those who need it. New Stages is also offering a higher-priced “pay it forward” option, for those who can afford it, to help cover the cost of the welcome rate.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be media sponsor of New Stages Theatre Company’s 2025-26 season.
The story has been updated to reflect that the full original cast from the 2023 production of “It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” will be returning for the 2025 remount.
Every Friday during swimming season, we post The Beach Report™ — our weekly report of the results of water quality testing at beaches in the greater Kawarthas region — and update it throughout the week as conditions change.
As of Thursday, August 28 at 8 a.m., the following beaches are unsafe for swimming:
Beavermead Park in Peterborough
Douro North Park in Douro-Dummer
Lakefield Park in Lakefield
Beach Park in Bobcaygeon
Valentia/Sandbar Beach in Valentia
Caldwell Street Beach in Port Hope
West Beach in Port Hope
In addition, as of July 3, Peterborough Public Health has received multiple reports of residents experiencing swimmer’s itch, a skin rash caused by an allergic reaction to infection with certain parasites of birds and mammals, after swimming at White’s Beach in Trent Lakes. For more information and precautions, visit the Swimmer’s Itch page on the health unit’s website.
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Below are the complete results of water quality testing at beaches in the City and County of Peterborough, the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, Northumberland County, and Hastings County and Prince Edward County.
In the City of Peterborough, Peterborough Public Health Inspectors sample the beaches at Rogers Cove and Beavermead every business day, and public beaches in the County of Peterborough are sampled at least once a week (except for Chandos Beach, Quarry Bay Beach, and White’s Beach which are sampled at least once in June, July, and August).
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit provides weekly testing results for beaches in the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, and Northumberland County. Testing is based on the most recent test results from the provincial lab in Peterborough for water samples taken from these beaches.
As of 2025, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health provides weekly testing results for only six designated public beaches in Hastings County and Prince Edward County. It no longer regularly samples another 13 beaches due to historically low occurrence of high bacteria levels.
During the summer, local health units sample water at area beaches and test for bacteria such as E. coli to determine if the water quality at a beach is safe for public use. Popular beaches, like the beach at Roger’s Cove in Peterborough’s East City, are tested every business day while most other beaches are tested weekly. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
Important note
The following test results may not reflect current water quality conditions. Water samples can take one to three days to process and heavy rainfall, high winds or wave activity, large numbers of waterfowl near a beach, or large numbers of swimmers can rapidly change water quality.
You should always check current conditions before deciding to use a beach. You should also monitor other factors that might suggest a beach is unsafe to use, such as floating debris, oil, discoloured water, bad odours, and excessive weed growth.
City of Peterborough Beaches (sampled each business day)
Beavermead Park (2011 Ashburnham Drive, Peterborough) – sample date 26 August – UNSAFE
Rogers Cove (131 Maria Street, Peterborough) – sample date 26 August: SAFE
Peterborough County Beaches (sampled weekly)
Buckhorn Beach (12 John Street, Buckhorn) – sample date 26 August – SAFE
Crowe’s Line Beach (240 Crowe’s Line Road, Trent Lakes) – sample date 26 August – SAFE
Douro North Park (251 Douro Second Line, Township of Douro-Dummer) – sample date 26 August – UNSAFE
Ennismore Waterfront Park (1053 Ennis Road, Ennismore) – sample date 26 August – SAFE
Curve Lake Henrys Gumming (107 Chemong Street S, Curve Lake) – sample date 19 August – SAFE
Hiawatha Park (1 Lakeshore Road, Hiawatha) – sample date 25 August – SAFE
Jones Beach (908 Jones Beach Road, Bridgenorth) – sample date 25 August – SAFE
Lakefield Park (100 Hague Boulevard, Lakefield) – sample date 26 August – UNSAFE
Curve Lake Lime Kiln Park (70 Whetung Street E, Curve Lake) – sample date 19 August – SAFE
Sandy Beach (1221 Lakehurst Road, Buckhorn) – sample date 26 August – SAFE
Selwyn Beach Conservation Area (2251 Birch Island Road, Selwyn) – sample date 20 August – SAFE
Squirrel Creek Conservation Area (2445 Wallace Point Road, South Monaghan) – sample date 25 August – SAFE
Warsaw Caves Conservation Area (289 Caves Road, Warsaw) – sample date 25 August – SAFE
Peterborough County Beaches (sampled monthly)
Belmont Lake Beach (376 Mile of Memories Road, Belmont) – sample date 21 August – SAFE
Chandos Beach (2821 County Road 620, Apsley) – sample date 14 August – SAFE
Kasshabog Lake (431 Peninsula Road, Havelock) – sample date 14 August – SAFE
Quarry Bay Beach (1986 Northey’s Bay Road, Woodview) – sample date 14 August – SAFE
White’s Beach (26 Clearview Drive, Trent Lakes) – sample date 19 July – SAFE
Note: As of July 3, the health unit has received multiple reports of residents experiencing swimmer’s itch after swimming at this location.
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City of Kawartha Lakes
Results updated August 27.
Beach Park – Bobcaygeon – UNSAFE
Valentia/Sandbar Beach – Valentia – UNSAFE
Birch Point – Fenelon Falls – SAFE
Blanchards Road Beach – Bexley – SAFE
Bond Street – Fenelon Falls – SAFE
Burnt River Beach – Somerville – SAFE
Centennial Beach – Verulam – SAFE
Centennial Verulam Parkette – SAFE
Centennial Park West – Eldon – SAFE
Four Mile Lake Public Beach – Somerville – SAFE
Head Lake Beach – Laxton – SAFE
Lions Park – Coboconk- SAFE
Norland Bathing Area – Laxton – SAFE
Omemee Beach – Emily/ Omemee – SAFE
Riverview Beach Park – Bobcaygeon – SAFE
Sturgeon Point Beach – Fenelon Falls – SAFE
Verulam Recreational Park – Verulam – SAFE
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Haliburton County
Results updated August 27.
Bissett Beach – Minden Hills – SAFE
Forsters Beach – Minden Hills – SAFE
Rotary Park Main – Minden Hills – SAFE
Rotary Park Lagoon – Minden Hills – SAFE
Horseshoe Beach – Minden Hills – SAFE
Glamour Lake Beach – Highlands East – SAFE
Gooderham Lake Beach – Highlands East – SAFE
Paudash Lake Beach – Highlands East – SAFE
Twelve Mile Lake Beach – Minden Hills – SAFE
Wilbermere Lake Beach – Highlands East – SAFE
Dorset Parkette – Algonquin Highlands – SAFE
Elvin Johnson Park – Algonquin Highlands – SAFE
Rotary Beach – Head Lake – Dysart et al – SAFE
Rotary Head Lake Beach Lagoon – Dysart et al – SAFE
Sandy Point Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Sandy Cove Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Slipper Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Eagle Lake Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Pine Lake Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Haliburton Lake Beach – Dysart et al – SAFE
Northumberland County
Results updated August 27.
Caldwell Street Beach – Port Hope – UNSAFE
West Beach – Port Hope – UNSAFE
Crowe Bridge Park – Trent Hills – SAFE
Hastings Waterfront South – Trent Hills – SAFE
Hastings Waterfront North – Trent Hills – SAFE
East Beach – Port Hope – SAFE
Cobourg Victoria Park Beach – Northumberland – SAFE
Wicklow Beach – Alnwick-Haldimand – SAFE
Sandy Bay Public Beach – Alnwick-Haldimand – SAFE
Little Lake – Cramahe – SAFE
Hastings County and Prince Edward County
Note: Updated results for the week of August 22 are not available. The results from last week are shown below. Swimmers are encouraged to monitor weather and water quality factors regardless of beach posting status.
Haliburton Highlands Healthy Democracy Project (HHHDP) steering committee members Sean Pennylegion, Jessica Slade, Lauren Hunter, Barrie Martin, and Carol Moffatt in front of part of a textile collection by local artist Wendy Wood at The Link in Haliburton. To help promote greater civic engagement in the 2026 municipal election and beyond, the grassroots community group is hosting a four-part "Voices & Votes" speaker series with the first two events this fall. (Photo: HHHDP)
When the time comes once again for Haliburton County residents to head to the polls next fall to choose their local politicians, a grassroots community group is hoping to inspire a higher voter turnout in the Haliburton Highlands.
That’s one goal of the steering committee behind the new Haliburton Highlands Healthy Democracy Project (HHHDP). The group of community members is working to create a home-grown initiative to strengthen local democracy and promote higher levels of civic engagement.
Through a series of events beginning in the fall, the HHHDP steering committee is aiming to encourage and prepare residents to get involved in their community and make a positive difference, both inside and outside of local politics, according to a media release.
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Steering committee member Lauren Hunter shared more details with kawarthaNOW about the impetus behind the new initiative.
“In the last municipal election, our community, like so many across Ontario, saw a number of council positions acclaimed rather than elected,” Hunter said.
“In fact, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario has documented that acclamations are on the rise. While we have still benefited from strong local representation, we think it’s important that voters have choice during local elections and that collectively, we do our part to help give people the tools, knowledge, and encouragement they need to get more involved in growing and governing our community.”
The four-part “Voices & Votes” speaker series hosted by the Haliburton Highlands Healthy Democracy Project (HHHDP) begins with two events on September 16 and October 7, 2025. (Graphic: HHHDP)
The HHHDP will launch this fall with the first two information sessions of a four-part series called “Voices & Votes.”
The first session, called “Partnership in Action: Community + Council,” will feature Jessica Slade from Civics with Slade sharing information about how government works and how people can contribute to community development by working with local governments to make positive change. She’ll highlight local success stories. The session is from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 16 at the Haliburton Legion at 719 Mountain St. in Haliburton.
The second session, called “Finding Your Why: The Big Picture,” will feature former Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MP Barry Devolin and former Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef speaking to why people should get involved in running for office, supporting a political campaign, or being an informed community member. This session runs from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 7 at the Lloyd Watson Community Centre at 2249 Loop Rd. in Wilberforce.
The final two sessions — “Behind the Scenes of Municipal Leadership” and “Understanding Campaigns: How Success Happens” — will take place in the spring.
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All the sessions will be free, non-partisan, and open to everyone. Community members can choose to attend one or more of the sessions, and the steering committee is working to ensure the sessions are recorded for those who can’t attend in person.
“Community organizations and municipal governments benefit when more people, especially younger folks and those who haven’t traditionally been involved, become active participants around committee and council tables,” Hunter said in a statement.
“We know that local democracies are under strain, that fewer people are voting and running for office, and that it’s harder to build connections and community. This project is one way we can try to change that here at home in the Highlands.”
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HHHDP is hoping to “make waves” through the initiative and stimulate local democracy.
“Of course, we hope to see more people from all walks of life seeking office in the next municipal election,” Hunter said. “But even more importantly, we want to spark conversations about the importance of a healthy local democracy and help break down some of the barriers to access local politics.”
She added that the group would also like to see more people “getting involved in making positive change in our community” by supporting an election campaign for municipal office, voting in municipal elections, and getting involved in local grassroots organizations.
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“When we lower the barriers to participation — when we give people the tools, the knowledge, and the encouragement — they don’t just get involved, they lead,” said Slade, who is also a member of the HHHDP steering committee, in a statement. “And that helps build a stronger, more resilient Haliburton Highlands. With municipal elections coming up in the fall of 2026, we want to give as many people as possible the opportunity to get involved.”
The other members of the HHHDP steering committee are Sean Pennylegion, Barrie Martin, and Carol Moffatt. HHHDP is a project of the Haliburton County Community Co-operative. It is financially supported by the Haliburton County Development Corporation (Local Initiatives Program) and the “Telling Our Stories Speaker Series.”
For more information and to register for the first two sessions, visit hhhdp.ca.
A 21-year-old Woodville man is facing a second degree murder charge after a person was found dead in a Kirkfield home early Thursday morning (August 21).
At around 4:10 a.m. on Thursday, Kawartha Lakes Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were called to a Richmond Street West residence where they found a dead person.
Later Thursday morning, police issued a media release to report they were investigating a suspicious death, noting that preliminary information suggested it was an isolated incident with no signs of a broader threat.
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On Friday, police issued a second release stating that, as a result of the investigation, they had arrested Samuel Connors, 21, of Woodville and charged him with second degree murder.
The accused man is scheduled to appear in court in Lindsay on Friday.
Police are not releasing the name of the victim, and have provided no information about the victim’s cause of death, gender or age, or whether the victim had any connection with the accused man.
The giant mural created by artist Sharon Pearsall at Five Counties Children's Centre in Peterborough has left a lasting impression for children and families. Completed in 1981 when Sharon was finishing high school, the 25-foot wide by 13-foot high mural has stood the test of time over 44 years, putting smiles on those who see it. (Photo: Five Counties Children's Centre)
Every month, Five Counties Children’s Centre provides a story about the work of the charitable organization. This month’s story is by Bill Eekhof, Communications Coordinator, Five Counties Children’s Centre.
Sharon Pearsall’s artistic flair doesn’t rub off, and that’s good for children and families who have enjoyed her handiwork for decades at Five Counties Children’s Centre.
The indelible impression that Sharon painted on the north-facing wall of the gym at Five Counties’ location in Peterborough is still very much evident.
Her giant mural — approximately 25-feet wide and 13-feet high — featuring a mix of rainbows, giraffes, cats, children, bubbles, and fun is as bright and vivid as it was on the day she completed it in July 1981.
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“Having the opportunity to do this mural, it was kind of groundbreaking because you get the tap on the shoulder that you’ve been selected to do it,” says Sharon, a now-retired teacher who, in the summer of 1981, had just graduated from Adam Scott Collegiate in Peterborough.
“It’s affirming, because you feel you’re making the right choices in life.”
Back in 1981, before she got the “tug” to go into teaching as a career, Sharon had her sights set on pursuing art studies at OCAD (Ontario College of Art and Design) in Toronto. To allow her to continue doing art that summer, Zoltan Temesy — her art teacher from Adam Scott at the time — arranged for her to do the mural project at Five Counties.
VIDEO: Sharon’s Story – Leaving a Lasting Impression
The aim was to give Sharon a chance to work on a large ‘canvas’ to create a scene that exuded welcome and fun for child clients using the treatment space at Five Counties. The mural also coincided with 1981 being designated as the International Year of the Disabled Person by the United Nations.
For Sharon, creating the mural design first involved researching what Five Counties did and who it served, so as to create something that was appropriate for the gym wall. It also meant channelling her own inner child.
“I put myself into the zone of being a child again, seeing what a child would like to see, what activities a child would enjoy in this gymnasium,” she says. “And I opened it up so it would be indoor and outdoor activities. Just my cartooning, love for drawing and colour, and going big. Painting big.”
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Giraffes and cats are among the many whimsical animals found in the mural — no surprise given Sharon’s love for them. Children of different abilities, cultures, walks of life, and personalities also appear throughout it.
While the gym wall provided plenty of space to create, it also posed its challenges. Teetering atop a ladder propped on two tables to paint the faces on giraffes may not have been the safest way to do things, Sharon admits, but it worked out in the end.
“The real treat for me was when some of the kids would come in to watch me paint,” Sharon notes.
Artist Sharon Pearsall displays the concept drawing she used to map out the giant mural that she created as a high school student on the gym wall at Five Counties Children’s Centre in Peterborough in 1981. The mix of rainbows, giraffes, cats, children, bubbles and fun that are infused into the actual artwork are evident in the design. (Photo: Five Counties Children’s Centre)
Forty-four years on, the giant mural has proven its durability — and worth — for both parties.
“This was a great opportunity for me to showcase my talents, work with the community, and give back,” says Sharon.
For kids, families and visitors to Five Counties, Sharon’s landmark (or wall mark) creation still resonates and brings countless smiles to those who see it.
Five Counties Children’s Centre is marking 50 years in 2025 of supporting children and families in Peterborough, Northumberland County, the City of Kawartha Lakes, and Haliburton County. Find out more at www.fivecounties.on.ca/50years/.
The 2025-26 Board of Directors of the Women's Business Network of Peterborough (from left to right, back and front): Membership Director Victoria McAuley, Program Director Ashley Bonner, Program Director Tina Thornton, Director at Large Victoria Shaoling Wang, Publicity Director Tiffany Daskewich, Social Director Tiffany Alton, Treasurer Cindy Koshowski, Past President Katelyn Kemp, President Adeilah Dahlke, Tech Director Jessica Erickson, and Secretary Akshana Katoch. (Photo: Jordan Lyall Photography)
According to Peterborough entrepreneur Adeilah Dahlke, you can never have too many friends. That’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the benefits that female professionals will find when they sign up to be a member of the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough (WBN).
“I’ve made some really incredible friends through the WBN, and I know a lot of people have had that experience,” Dahlke says. “You’re building professional connections, but you’re also building those friendships too, and that’s why a lot of people keep coming back.”
Dahlke, who is the founder of Jigsaw Organizing Solutions, will be returning as the president of the inclusive networking group for the second year in a row when the 2025-26 season kicks off at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 3 at Elmhirst’s Resort in Keene — the first of 10 in-person meetings during the season.
Women’s Business Network of Peterborough (WBN) President Adeilah Dahlke, Past President Katelyn Kemp, and Tech Director Jessica Erickson connect during a board meeting ahead of the 2025-26 season, which kicks off with a speed networking event at Elmhirst’s Resort in Keene on September 3, 2025. (Photo: Jordan Lyall Photography)
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Called “Spark & Switch,” the kick-off meeting will feature a speed networking event that aims to connect members with as many others as possible, highlighting the season’s theme of “Sparking Community and Connections.”
“I really wanted to continue with Collaboration over Competition,” says Dahlke, referring to the theme of the 2024-25 season. “Whether it’s a community of people in the same industry, or whether it’s just multiple people coming together to create something, we want people to feel like they’re part of a community, and connected and close with each other.”
“Through the programming we have this year, you’ll get to know people quite quickly and hear their stories, hear their struggles, and really connect with one another,” she adds.
Adeilah Dahlke, founder of Jigsaw Organizing Solutions, is returning as the president of the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough (WBN) for the 2025-26 season. She joined the WBN as a member in 2022 because she wanted to make personal and professional connections after relocating her business from Waterloo to Peterborough. (Photo: Laura De Souza / LD Photography)
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The strong personal and business connections that women form at WBN is one of the main reasons Dahlke wanted to become a member of the organization when she joined in 2022. At the time, she had just moved her family and her business from Waterloo to Peterborough.
“I immediately found connections at WBN,” she recalls. “Everybody was really friendly and inviting and it was a really interesting mix of different businesses. It was really beneficial to get immersed in that and see what was available in Peterborough. I loved it immediately. I loved the group of women and found those connections really early on.”
As a Trained Professional Organizer, Dahlke says forming these connections was essential for growing her business and her clientele, given how personal the business of decluttering someone’s home can be.
“Social media is great, but it is so hard for people to get to know you enough and trust you enough to refer people to you,” she says. “When you’re meeting in person, you’re genuinely actually getting to know them on an intimate level. You’re having dinner with them and you’re seeing how they interact with other people. It’s a cool way of getting to know them.”
The Women’s Business Network of Peterborough (WBN) is an inclusive organization open to professional women from all walks of life and working in all industries. With monthly events, the organization provides members the opportunity to connect with like-minded women, building personal and professional relationships and pitching their businesses through a variety of options. (Photo courtesy of WBN)
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Even beyond building her client list, being a part of WBN was essential for Dahlke to build a support system with fellow professionals where she could talk about business challenges and solutions — especially since she works alone.
“If you’re a solopreneur you spend so much time by yourself, so it’s really great to be able to connect with people and just chat about work and personal stuff,” she says. “It can be hard to make new friends as an adult, so when you throw yourself into a situation where you’re surrounded by 70-plus like-minded women you have so many options to choose from.”
WBN also ensures new members feel welcome by offering to pair them up with a senior member who will act as a mentor throughout the season. What’s more, the dinner tables during the monthly meetings are limited to four to six people with assigned seating that changes monthly, making it easy for members to connect one-on-one with others.
“Everyone there is awesome, so you want to meet them,” Dahlke says. “People really connect when they’re eating food, and it creates a sense of comfort that is different and more relaxed than having to walk around and chat with people.”
In addition to building personal and professional connections, members of the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough (WBN) have many opportunities to promote their businesses, including sponsoring a monthly meeting, donating a door prize to speak at an event, adding their events to WBN’s public events calendar, and setting up a vendor booth at a monthly meeting. (Photo courtesy of WBN)
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To help members promote their businesses, WBN provides the opportunity at each monthly meeting for members to purchase an affordable vendor table, where they can then spend time before the event talking and connecting with other WBN members and their guests. With WBN’s passport program, members are encouraged to visit as many vendor tables as they can for the chance to win a prize.
“You’re guaranteed to get eyes on your business,” Dahlke says.
There are also many other opportunities for members to promote their businesses at WBN. They can sponsor a meeting to get a spot in the WBN newsletter and have their business showcased throughout the event. They can donate a door prize to speak at an event, or pay $2 to enter a draw for the chance to speak about their business or acknowledge another member’s business during a meeting. They can also add their events to WBN’s public events calendar.
Women’s Business Network of Peterborough (WBN) board members Adeilah Dahlke, Katelyn Kemp, Jessica Erickson, Cindy Koshowski, Victoria McAuley, and Akshana Katoch during a recent meeting ahead of the 2025-26 season, which has the theme “Sparking Community and Connections.” New this year, the organization will select a local nonprofit organization to support during each member meeting, providing a way for members to learn about the work of community organizations while also making an collective impact. (Photo: Jordan Lyall Photography)
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New this year, instead of hosting in-person spotlight events, WBN is offering members the option to purchase a virtual spotlight for each member meeting, with ad space within the WBN newsletter.
“Maybe you have a sale going or maybe you just want to display your logo, but it gets sent out to all members so you have a lot of eyes looking at it every month,” Dahlke says. “There are lots of different options to get your face and business name out there.”
While WBN continues to support YWCA Peterborough Haliburton’s programs and services for women affected by gender-based violence through its annual fundraising holiday gala, this season WBN is expanding its support of local charitable organizations. Each month, the WBN board will choose a local charity and collect donations at the monthly member meeting.
“Members had mentioned previously that they would love to see more opportunities to volunteer and help out,” Dahlke says. “It’s going to be a really fun way to learn about different nonprofits and charities, but also just to help out the community in a way that’s super easy. It’s a way that we can each contribute and make a pretty big impact.”
During the 2024-25 season, the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough (WBN) presented a cheque for $5,632.35 to YWCA Peterborough Haliburton, representing the proceeds raised by WBN members during the organization’s annual holiday gala. For the 2025-26 season, WBN will also be selecting a local charity to support at each member meeting. (Photo: YWCA Peterborough Haliburton / Facebook)
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In addition to annual WBN events such as the holiday gala and Galantine’s Day event, there will be new initiatives during the 2025-26 season at all-new venues throughout the year, including an inaugural International Women’s Day event in March. The WBN board is also looking at ways to expand the Member of the Year Award program to acknowledge even more members.
“It’ll be a way for all members to get recognized and appreciated for their contributions and their efforts throughout the year,” says Dahlke.
Those who want to experience a WBN meeting before committing to membership can sign up as a guest. WBN members are also encouraged to bring guests to meetings — the more guests a member brings to meetings throughout the season, the more entries they will get in a draw to win a gift prize at the end of the year.
The Women’s Business Network of Peterborough (WBN) is an inclusive group of professional women where, through monthly meetings, members can build personal and professional connections, network, and promote their businesses and organizations in a welcoming and supportive social environment. (Photo courtesy of WBN)
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With so much to gain from both the business and personal connections, Dahlke says there’s no reason not to join the WBN.
“You’re building connections, networking, and you’re working on your business during that time, but you get to do it in a casual way where you get to have some good food and drink some wine,” she says. “It’s a nice balance and doesn’t always feel like work.”
“And if you want to get your name out there, build your business, and have brand recognition, it’s an amazing opportunity.”
For more information on the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough or to join, visit wbnptbo.ca. You can also connect with WBN on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
This branded editorial was created in partnership with the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
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