Peterborough legal firm LLF Lawyers is sponsoring the new public square beside the Peterborough Public Library in the amount of $100,000, including $20,000 for the acquisition and installation of a new public art piece. Here Toronto architect Patrick Li poses with a model of his design that was chosen for the public square. LLF Lawyers is asking for the public to vote for one of seven selected names for the new public square. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW.com)
When a business puts up $100,000 for the right to name something, it’s tough to argue that the name chosen should clearly reflect the business and its generosity.
But there’s no such demand from LLF Lawyers, which is sponsoring a newly developed public square located at Simcoe and Aylmer Street adjacent to the newly renovated Peterborough Public Library.
Instead, the prominent local law firm is turning to the public to decide on the name.
Bill Lockington of LLF Lawyers (left) joins firm partners and architect Patrick Li (holding model) at the future site of the new public square at Aylmer and Simcoe streets adjacent to the Peterborough Public Library. LLF Lawyers is providing $100,000 through the City’s Corporate Sponsorship program towards costs associated with the space’s development and Li’s design. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW.com)
On Wednesday (April 4th) at the library, LLF Lawyers partner Bill Lockington revealed seven name choices for the space and invited the public to choose the winning name. The choices are:
Firehouse Square, in recognition of the Peterborough fire hall once located at the site of the current library.
Brigade Square, in recognition of the 1908 establishment of a permanent Peterborough fire brigade.
W. A. Howard Commons, in recognition of Peterborough’s first fire chief who served from 1908 to 1917.
Robertson Davies Square, in recognition of the novelist and long-time editor of The Peterborough Examiner.
Dr. Thomas Greer Square, in recognition of the original owner of the home that stood at the public space site.
Library Commons, in recognition of the library’s proximity to the space.
Carnegie Square, in recognition of the Carnegie Foundation’s 1911 contribution to the library built on George Street adjacent to what is now City Hall.
One of the seven options for the name of the new public square adjacent to the Peterborough Public Library is Robertson Davies Plaza, recognizing the acclaimed Canadian playwright and novelist who lived and worked in Peterborough from 1942 to 1963. (Photo: Peterborough Museum & Archives P-09-057-11)
LLF worked with city staff to compile a short list of seven names that reflect the community’s heritage and history and demonstrate a commitment to public access to and use of the space. For more information about the name choices, visit peterborough.ca.
People can vote online for their preferred name at www.surveymonkey.com/r/MGL63RD, or you can vote in person with ballots available at Peterborough City Hall and the library. Voting is open until Friday, April 20th with the name to be announced April 25th.
“It was never our intention that this space be named after our law firm,” stressed Lockington, whose firm is located on Aylmer Street directly across from the library and a stone’s throw from the public space.
“This is a community property and it’s a community investment, so the community should name it. This was a really great opportunity to do something in this area. We’re going to get enhanced infrastructure in this community we wouldn’t get otherwise. It’s our neck of the woods. It just made a lot of sense.”
Architect’s concept drawing of the new public plaza to be adjacent to the new Peterborough Public Library, with Bethune Street at the left (west), Aylmer Street at the right (east), and Simcoe Street at the top (north). (Drawing: Daniel J. O’Brien & Associates)
For his part, City of Peterborough Sponsorship Co-ordinator Scott Elliott is thrilled LLF Lawyers has stepped up to the plate, adding it’s the city’s largest sponsorship to date dollar-wise.
LLF Lawyers’ sponsorship of the public square amounts to $100,000 over 20 years, with an initial $20,000 to cover the acquisition of a piece of public art and the balance divided into equal annual increments over the remainder of the time.
And, as Elliott pointed out, LLF Lawyers’ willingness to give away the naming rights hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“A national publication, very specialized in the sponsorship industry, contacted me directly,” he said. “They heard about this sort of new and unique thing happening in the City of Peterborough where someone was purchasing a naming right but didn’t want to name it after themselves. It’s very rare and it has garnered some national attention in the sponsorship industry.”
“This is outside the way traditional government operates. It’s important we find out what’s working, what’s not working, what are our challenges, where are the successes. There are always opportunities. It’s about creativity, it’s about marketing, it’s about achieving business objectives.
“Bigger cities like Toronto and Ottawa have had (public sponsorship) programs for upwards of 20 years. In that sense, we may be catching up but I would still say Peterborough is ahead of the curve on this for the most part.”
While the gathering’s primary purpose was to release details of the name voting procedure and LLF Lawyers’ sponsorship, it was also an opportunity for Toronto architect Patrick Li to display a model of “Your Story”, his artwork that will call the new public space home.
Toronto architect Patrick Li’s design for his “Your Story” sculpture. The sculpture will be installed in the new public square adjacent the renovated Peterborough Public Library, with a scheduled completion date of August 2018. (Image: Patrick Li)
According to artist and Peterborough Public Art Advisory Committee chair Bruce Stonehouse, a call for submissions brought interest from 20 artists and designers with three chosen to further develop their proposals and submit a model.
Li’s design was chosen by a selection committee comprised of: Theresa Kerr from the Peterborough Public Library Board; Nan Sidler, a community member appointed by the Library board; David Miller, a community member appointed by the project sponsor; and Krista English and Julia Harrison of the City’s Public Art Advisory Committee.
“One work stood high,” Stonehouse said in reference to Li’s design. “The sculpture is engaging. It’s big, bold and beautiful. The form is like a twisting torso with energy it is just about to release. It’s alive, dynamic, and far from being static.”
At an earlier gathering announcing his artwork had been selected, Li gave his own take.
“This sculpture is made by the undulated fin-like columns to be reminiscent of a book cover that is twisting in the wind,” he said.
“There is movement to make the sculpture feel alive. Each person who walks inside it will have a chance to experience this fluidity and discover their own journey.”
According to Elliott, tenders to develop the public space have gone out with the work expected to be completed before year’s end.
A 21-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a reported sexual assault at the Lindsay Square mall.
On Tuesday (April 3th), a 16-year-old female was shopping at a store in mall when she was approached by a stranger who grabbed her in a sexual manner.
After the victim pushed her assailant away, he exited the store. A Kawartha Lakes Police Service investigation into the reported assault resulted in a suspect being identified.
Later in the day, police received information on the suspect’s whereabouts and, shortly before 8 p.m., arrested the suspect without incident at a Wellington Street residence.
The accused man is charged with one count of sexual assault, breach of a recognizance, and breach of a probation order. He will appear in a Lindsay court this afternoon (April 4th) for a bail hearing.
Kawartha Lakes Police Service have not released the name of the accused man.
Sarah Burke, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region, will be the guest speaker at the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism's Volunteer Breakfast on April 18, 2018 at Burleigh Falls Inn & Suites.
Employment Standards Act Information Session – April 4th
Tonight (Wednesday, April 4th), the Kawartha Chamber is hosting a workshop on the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) including recent changes to labour laws under the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017 (Bill 148).
The session will include a speaker from the Ministry of Labour who will cover details on minimum wage, hours of work, public holidays, leave of absence, termination, and more. A question and answer period will follow.
While all employers are aware of the recent changes to minimum wage, many have not yet recognized the impact of the new method of calculating statutory holiday pay or the requirement to provide up to 10 (including two paid) personal emergency leave days. Attend this session to be certain you are compliant with the ESA.
Doors open at 5 p.m. and the guest speaker will be introduced at 5:15 p.m. The session is taking place at the Lakefield Legion, 10 Nicholls Street. All business professionals are welcome and encouraged to attend. Admission is free, but please register so the Chamber can arrange for enough seating. Contact the Chamber office at 705-652-6963 or email events@kawarthachamber.ca for more details.
To make efficient use of the Q&A time, attendees are encouraged to send their questions in advance. Please email them to generalmanager@kawarthachamber.ca.
The Chamber thanks its professional development sponsor Lynn Woodcroft, Sales Representative with Royal LePage Frank Real Estate, and the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 77.
Chamber hiring summer staff
The Chamber is now accepting applications for three summer staff positions: Marketing & Tourism Assistant in Lakefield, Tourism Outreach Assistant in Buckhorn, and Special Events & Tourism Assistant in Lakefield, Buckhorn and area.
Qualified applicants are invited to email a cover letter and resume by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 13th to generalmanager@kawarthachamber.ca, indicating the job title in the subject line.
Welcome Baby Griffin!
William “Griffin” Cuppy.
The Chamber is pleased to announce that Membership Coordinator, Jasmine Sager, has welcomed a baby boy!
William “Griffin” Cuppy was born on March 27th at 1:01 PM, weighing 8 lbs, 5 oz.
Congratulations Jasmine, Tyler, Hadley, and Hannah on your new addition!
Sarah Burke, CEO of Habitat Peterborough, guest speaker at Chamber Breakfast – April 18
Join the Chamber for breakfast on Wednesday, April 18th, with guest speaker Sarah Burke.
Sarah is the CEO of Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region. She has seen tremendous growth over the last 11 years she has been employed by the affiliate. When she first started in 2007, the affiliate was a consistent one-home-a-year builder, employed five FTE staff and brought in less than $400,000 in ReStore revenues. In 2018, the affiliate is building for and thus will serve six local families, employee 22 FTE staff, and is expected to surpass $1.3 million is ReStore revenues.
The Chamber’s Annual Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast is taking place at Burleigh Falls Inn & Suites from 7:30 to 9 a.m. The cost is $20+HST and includes a full country breakfast buffet. Breakfast is complimentary for Chamber volunteers.
While this event honours the Chamber’s volunteers, all are welcome to attend. Register here.
The Chamber thanks its networking event sponsor, Blue Diamond Window Cleaning.
Gala Committee Members Wanted
The Chamber is in search of Committee Members for the Awards of Excellence Gala.
May 9th – BOSS Mental Health in the Workplace, Lakefield Legion
May 23rd – Provincial All Candidates Meeting
June 13th – BAH Woodview Hop
Ontario Helping Young People Find Jobs
MPP Mitzie Hunter, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development and Peterborough MPP Jeff Leal, Minister Responsible for Small Business, check out some of the produce at Morello’s Independent Grocer. (Photo: Office of Jeff Leal)
Ontario is helping young people find jobs and supporting employers by providing businesses with financial incentives to hire youth aged 15 to 29.
Jeff Leal, Minister Responsible for Small Business, made the announcement on April 3rd at Morello’s Independent Grocer in Peterborough alongside Mitzie Hunter, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development.
The Employing Young Talent Incentive helps young people find jobs by offering:
Small businesses with less than 100 employees, an initial $1,000 incentive upon hiring and an additional $1,000 retention incentive after six months for each youth hired through Employment Service.
Business owners of any size an initial $1,000 incentive after three months of hiring, followed by an additional $1,000 retention incentive after six months, for hiring youth who face barriers to employment through the Youth Job Connection program.
The third annual Peterborough-Kawartha Quality of Life & Jobs Summit is taking place on Wednesday, April 11th, from 2 to 6 p.m. at the McDonnel St. Activity Centre (577 Mcdonnel St., Peterborough).
Organized by Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Maryam Monsef, this year’s summit will focus on the factors that influence how we participate in our communities and how we can forge new connections to improve our experiences in life and work.
The goal of this year’s summit is to develop an action plan that will engage all sectors and members of our community in improving our overall quality of life and the economic opportunities that exist throughout Peterborough-Kawartha.
Bringing together community members, innovators, artists, employers, and employees, the summit will be an afternoon of networking, learning, and connecting the needs of our community with the potential of our people.
Abbeyfield House Society of Lakefield Gala Fundraising Concert – April 23nd
Abbeyfield Society of Lakefield is pleased to announced its Gala Fundraising Concert on Monday, April 23rd at the Selwyn Outreach Centre. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are available online and will also be available at Kawartha Home Hardware and Happenstance Books & Yarns in Lakefield, and at Long & McQuade in Peterborough.
The evening will feature the Cory Gleison Choir from Cardiff, Wales, and a special appearance by Rhythm & Grace. Come out and enjoy an enjoyable evening of exciting musical entertainment to help support building the first Abbeyfield House in Lakefield — a unique alternative housing option for Lakefield seniors. For more information, call 705-652-3856.
Upcoming Events
Performing Arts Lakefield – The Happy Pals New Orleans Party Orchestra – April 6th
Taste of Europe at the BCC – April 7th
Lakefield Literary Festival Spring Event – April 9th
Social Media for Beginners, Trent Lakes – April 12th
For more information about the businesses and events listed above, please visit the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism website at kawarthachamber.ca.
All photos supplied by Kawartha Chamber of Commerce except where noted.
Located in downtown Peterborough, Community Futures Peterborough provides flexible financing options and a wide variety of services to help businesses thrive. Governed by a volunteer board of directors, the not-for-profit organization's staff include (from left to right): Executive Director Gail Moorhouse, Entrepreneurial Training Program Coordinator Siam Grobler, Office Administrator Michelle Foster, Business and Loans Officer Ryan Plumpton, and Program Administrator Pat Peeling. (Photo: Tammy Thorne / kawarthaNOW.com)
Like every ecosystem, there are many components that are critical to the survival of the whole, but some organisms — or in this case, organizations — provide more sustenance than others.
CFP provides flexible financing options and a wide variety of services to help small and medium-sized companies, from retail to not-for-profit, thrive.
Anything from hairdressers to plastics fabrication, from craft brewers to concrete contractors, from spin studios like Full Tilt Cycle to rural restaurants like Peachy Keene — no business idea is off limits when it comes to working with CFP.
CFP Executive Director Gail Moorhouse says entrepreneurs are an essential part of the economy in Peterborough city and county.
“If you take a look at the demographics and the changes that are happening you see real business opportunities are happening through entrepreneurial start-ups and the development of new businesses. So, yes, entrepreneurs are very important to the ecosystem as they are providing new jobs,” she says, adding that CFP saw an increase in the number of young female entrepreneurs in the region last year.
Tiny Greens is a great example of a new business run by Tina Bromley that worked with CFP. Tiny Greens was the inaugural winner of Peterborough’s Win This Space competition in 2017.
Moorhouse says the key to success is partnering wisely, and that’s why they frequently refer their clients to other community partners.
“We fit into the financial slot,” she says. “We understand who does what well, so we don’t replicate services. So I would say probably the first thing we do is partner. We work with the Innovation Cluster, Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development, Fleming College, the DBIA, and others.
“We work together. We refer to partners, and then we provide the financial services to the clients once they are ready to move forward with their business.
She says working with other partners who specialize in business planning — like the Business Advisory Centre at Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) — to help future entrepreneurs improve their plans or fine-tune their pitch, is what can make the difference when applying for funding.
Community Futures Peterborough Executive Director Gail Moorhouse during a recent session on Eastern Ontario Development Program (EODP) funding. “Our goal is to be a leader in the region by developing and supporting the growth and expansion of local business and employment opportunities”. (Photo courtesy of Community Futures Peterborough)
Ryan Plumpton, CFP Business and Loan Officer, says the newest craft brewery in town, Beard Free Brewing, is a great example of how CFP can help small businesses achieve their goals.
“I remember Beard Free Brewing were so grateful to get our micro-loan and now they’re open and they’re producing,” Plumpton says. “Just seeing how far those three have gone from when they first came in with an idea … we weren’t really sure how we could work together, but we did and we mentored them along to their launch. This was a great example where our flexible financing was key to their success.”
Another key to start-up success is passion — and a good plan.
“It can work both ways sometimes,” Plumpton says. “You might have an awesome plan but you can’t deliver it the way you want, or you might not have the best plan but they believe in you and your passion. Everyone is at a different point in the game. Sometimes it’s just an idea on a napkin, and so we send them to PKED to work out a business plan.”
Ryan Plumpton, Business and Loans Officer at Community Futures Peterborough. “Where a lot of other financial institutions are really set in stone as to what they can and cannot do, we are really able to look at things in a different way.” (Photo: Tammy Thorne / kawarthaNOW.com)
“Others need a financial plan, so we have services like workshops,” he says, pointing to recent workshops on how to apply for Eastern Ontario Development Program (EODP) funding and how to give the perfect pitch.
“We recently held a workshop on how to pitch the key three things about your business in five minutes,” Moorhouse says. “What we needed to know is: Who are you? (Because I want to see passion.) What is your ask and how are you going to use it? What is the impact to the community? How many jobs will you create? How many tourists will you bring? Et cetera.”
“We show them how to put all those things together to make a successful pitch. We want to make it as easy as possible for these potential entrepreneurs. You don’t see passion in a written application.”
Once the plan is complete and the pitch is fine-tuned, loan applicants will often be asked to directly pitch their business proposal to CFP’s loans committee for approval. All decisions are then ratified by the board of directors.
“Our board is really all about paying it forward,” adds Moorhouse, noting that they are currently recruiting two additional members (all Community Futures programs are not-for-profit corporations locally managed by volunteer board of directors.)
The loans committee is comprised of members from the board who, Moorhouse says, collectively possess a “really great breadth of experience.” Microloans under $20,000 have a quick turn around and larger requests are reviewed by the loans committee.
“We are not your traditional lender,” Plumpton says. “We’re willing to look at it from any angle. Where a lot of other financial institutions are really set in stone as to what they can and cannot do, we are really able to look at things in a different way.”
“Our goal is to be a leader in the region by developing and supporting the growth and expansion of local business and employment opportunities,” Moorhouse adds.
“A major measurement of our success is the impact we have in maintaining and creating jobs in our community.”
CFP is one of 61 Community Futures programs in Ontario, and 269 across Canada for which funding is provided via various federal agencies. Contact CFP at 705-745-5434 or info@cfpeterborough.ca or in person at 351 Charlotte Street in downtown Peterborough. For more information, visit communityfuturespeterborough.ca.
Public Energy presents the world premiere of "Snowangels" by choreographer Deepti Gupta, which will be performed by four dancers from her company Arzoo Dance Theatre on April 6 and 7 at Peterborough's Market Hall, along with "The Lion's Roar", a solo dance performance by Gupta. (Supplied photo)
Public Energy is wrapping up its 24th season this weekend with the world premiere of Snowangels by Ottawa-based choreographer Deepti Gupta with her company Arzoo Dance Theatre, along with Gupta’s solo performance of The Lion’s Roar.
Two performances of Snowangels and The Lion’s Roar will take place, at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 6th and Saturday, April 7th, at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough).
Gupta and her Arzoo Dance Theatre are no strangers to Peterborough audiences, who have seen her experiments with new forms of dance at least twice before.
Choreographer Deepti Gupta (second from left) with dancers Aasttha Khajuria, Parul Gupta, and Reshmi Chetram-Dav of Ottawa’s Arzoo Dance Theatre. Gupta will perform her solo dance “The Lion’s Roar”. (Supplied photo)
In 2007, she presented Collision/Collusion, a program of contemporary Kathak dance featuring a collaboration with a jazz quintet and Peterborough video artist Lester Alfonso. In 2003, Gupta brought the world premiere of Rubies, an experiment in using the ancient martial art form Chhau, also featuring Alfonso’s video art.
Public Energy presents Snowangels and The Lion’s Roar
When: Friday, April 6 and Saturday, April 7, 2018 at 8 p.m. Where: Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough) How much: $23 ($15 students/underwaged, $8 high school students)
‘Snowangels’ choreographed by Deepti Gupta and performed by Parul Gupta, Aasttha Khajuria, Barkha Patel, and Noah Damer. Score/sound design by Nick Storring, lighting design by Simon Rossiter. ‘The Lion’s Roar’ choreographed and performed by Deepti Gupta with score/sound design by Nick Storring. A Q&A with the artists will follow each performance. Tickets are available at the Market Hall Box Office, by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.
Performed by four dancers (Noah Damer, Barkha Patel, Aasttha Khajuria, and Parul Gupta), the 35-minute Snowangels explores the newcomer encounter with snow, and the ongoing experience every Canadian has with this mysterious, startling phenomenon of nature.
As an immigrant from India, Gupta has always been fascinated by the magical transformations of the snow, from snow angel to snow drift to snowflake, and been inspired by the visual grandeur and sensuality of the snowscapes depicted in classic Canadian landscape painting.
In the storytelling tradition of Kathak, Snowangels also pays homage to the snow myths and spirits of Canada. The music features a traditional Indian Tarana sung by renowned classical Indian vocalist Meeta Pandit. Like an aria, it is a soaring vocal solo that paints emotional landscapes.
Gupta’s solo dance, The Lion’s Roar, depicts the inner journey of Queen Srimala as she confronts demons and ultimately reaches her true being as a great Buddhist teacher. The work is based on The Sutra of the Lion’s Roar, a Buddhist text written by Queen Srimala of the Kosala dynasty in the third century BC in central India.
Toronto-based composer and musician Nick Storring provides the score for both Snowangels and The Lion’s Roar. (Supplied photo)
Both Snowangels and The Lion’s Roar are scored by Toronto-based composer and musician Nick Storring, the winner of the Canadian Music Centre’s 2011 Toronto Emerging Composer Award. In addition to providing original music for choreographers, Storring’s recent commissions include a piece for Arraymusic, Montréal’s AKOUSMA Festival, a solo harp work funded by the Canadian Music Centre’s Norman Burgess Fund, and a solo piano work, Byland, for Eve Egoyan.
Storring’s score for Snowangels combines elements of contemporary and classical music with the rhythms of Indian classical music.
“What we are doing is so new, so cutting-edge, that there is not a lot of history for it,” Gupta says in an interview with Public Energy performance curator Victoria Mohr-Blakeney.
“We’re really in new territory here. It was very difficult for the dancers — the dancers felt very lost for a time. After they got used to it, they found an immense freedom for movement and expression.”
A noted scholar, teacher, and choreographer both in Canada and in India, Gupta is a dancer and choreographer of Kathak, one of the 10 major forms of Indian classical dance.
“Snowangels” will be performed by dancers Noah Damer, Barkha Patel, Aasttha Khajuria, and Parul Gupta of the Arzoo Dance Theatre. (Supplied photos)
The origin of Kathak is traditionally attributed to the travelling bards of ancient northern India known as Kathakars or storytellers. The term Kathak is derived from the Vedic Sanskrit word “Katha” which means story and “Kathaka” which means “the one who tells a story”.
Gupta has performed extensively in Canada, India, the US, and the UK, both as a soloist as well as with her company. Her choreographic work is at the leading edge of contemporary South Asian dance. She has collaborated with a diverse range of international musicians, designers, digital and new media artists.
Deepti Gupta will perform her solo dance work “The Lion’s Roar”. (Photo: Purva Singh)
Her work has been presented by the National Arts Centre, National Gallery of Canada, the Canada Dance Festival, Kalanidhi Fine Arts, Raga Mala of Canada, Danceworks, Peterborough New Dance, Banff Centre for the Arts, Tangente, Harbourfront Centre as well as many community presenters across Canada.
Her choreographies have been critically acclaimed in the New York Times, the Village Voice, and Dance Connection Magazine, which wrote “Gupta brings together dance, set, costume, and score in a highly organic way … (she) firmly establishes herself as a choreographer with a distinctly original contemporary voice.”
Tickets for Snowangels and The Lion’s Roar are $23 general admission, or $15 for students and underwaged, and $8 for high school students. All tickets are available at the Market Hall Box Office or online at markethall.org.
There will be a question-and-answer session with the artists immediately following the show on both nights, with a reception on Friday night.
In addition to the public performances, Gupta will be giving a free artist’s talk, “Decoding Classical Indian Dance”, at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 5th in Bagnani Hall at Traill College (300 London St., Peterborough), as well as an introductory class on Kathak dance from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 7th at the Market Hall (the cost is $12, register in advance by emailing admin@publicenergy.ca).
Dave Morello (left), co-owner of Morello's Independent Grocer, gave a tour of his store to Peterborough MPP Jeff Leal, Minister Responsible for Small Business, and MPP Mitzie Hunter, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development, at the Employing Young Talent Incentive announcement on April 3, 2018. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW.com)
For young people shopping for an elusive job opportunity, what better to place to announce help is on the way than a Peterborough grocery store that has made hiring young people a regular practice?
On Tuesday morning (April 3) at Morello’s Independent Grocer (400 Lansdowne Street East, Peterborough, 705-740-9365), Peterborough MPP and Minister Responsible for Small Business Jeff Leal joined Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development Mitzie Hunter to formally announce the Province’s new Employing Young Talent Incentive.
Aimed at providing Ontario businesses with financial incentives to hire young people aged 15 to 29, $124 million was earmarked last fall for the program that was launched in January and has thus far secured employment for some 70 young people in Peterborough. What it offers is as follows:
Small businesses with less than 100 employees receive an initial $1,000 incentive followed by additional $1,000 retention incentive after six months for hiring someone aged 15 to 29 through Employment Ontario.
Businesses of any size receive an initial $1,000 incentive followed by an additional $1,000 retention incentive after six months for hiring someone aged 15 to 29 who faces barriers to employment through the Youth Job Connection program.
MPP Mitzie Hunter, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development, and Kim Morello, co-owner of Morello’s Independent Grocer, chat with a store customer at Tuesday’s Employing Young Talent Incentive announcement. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW.com)
“It’s all about creating opportunities for young people to find jobs and get their first experience learning on the job in a supportive work environment,” said Minister Hunter, the MPP for Scarborough Guildwood.
“Being part of a family, part of a team, that’s what our small businesses are all about. They’re the fastest growing part of our economy in Ontario. That’s why we’re providing this incentive because we know small businesses want to hire young people. This gives them the extra boost to do so.
“Getting that first job, that first foot in the door, can be tough. Some employers may have hesitations about hiring a younger or less experienced person but’s a moment of opportunity, a chance to train an eager and enthusiastic worker to learn new skills and be the kind of employee you need to grow your business.”
While the ministers brought news of the incentive and how it works, it was Morello’s employee Amanda Gurney’s words that put a face to the benefits of the investment.
Morello’s Independent Grocer employee Amanda Gurney, who spoke about the job opportunity provided her through Employment Planning and Counselling, joins MPPs Jeff Leal and Mitzie Hunter and some of the store staff gathered for Tuesday’s Employing Young Talent Incentive announcement. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW.com)
A client of Employment Planning and Counselling (EPC) Peterborough as part of the Youth Job Connection program, she was hired by Morellos’s on a placement that ended in February. She has attained regular employee status since.
“A year ago, I didn’t know a program like this existed, I didn’t know anyone actually cared enough to help people like me get a job,” said Gurney, noting she “struggles” with anxiety and depression.
“It is probably one of the best things I’ve done for myself. I learned so much that they don’t teach in schools. I had no idea how to grow up. I landed the interview with Dave (Morello) and managed to actually land a job and here I am now. I owe a lot to Dave and EPC for letting me be here.”
Afterwards, Minister Hunter referenced Gurney’s “very powerful story” as evidence of the benefit of the Province’s investment in young people’s securing of employment.
“Being part of this family here is allowing her to grow up and learn new skills. She’s going to continue to thrive and do well in this environment and maybe one day will be her own independent business owner.”
Minister Leal added that giving those with “challenges in life” and “in need of that first big break” is key to ensuring a strong economy moving forward.
“When you can put together an organization like the local Employment Planning and Counselling office and a willing employer like Morello’s, it creates an opportunity,” Leal said. “We know when young people get their start working for small businesses, it’s great for local communities.”
MPP Mitzie Hunter, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development and Peterborough MPP Jeff Leal, Minister Responsible for Small Business, check out some of the produce at Morello’s Independent Grocer. (Photo: Office of Jeff Leal)
Dave Morello noted he has hired more than 20 employees brought to him by programs offered by outside agencies.
“For me and my wife, the people we work with really are our priority,” he said. “Agencies like Employment Planning and Counselling help those who struggle finding jobs but ultimately they help us find great people.”
Karen Wilson of Employment Planning and Counselling said the agency works with hundred of local employers each year.
“If it weren’t for employers willing to give our clients a chance, there’s a lot of people that would really continue to struggle,” she said.
“Having a job that has meaning, where you’re learning something, means everything to young people wanting to launch their careers. The Employing Young Talent Incentive enhances opportunities greatly and will result in more employers providing opportunities for youths.”
According to the Province, an estimated one-third of Ontario workers are employed by small businesses.
Between October 1, 2015 and March 31, 2017, more than 22,000 young people with employment barriers, including lack of experience, have participated in the Youth Job Connection program.
For more information on the Employing Young Talent Incentive, visit ontario.ca.
Lori and Peer Christensen, owners of Christensen Fine Art, are selling their three-story heritage building on George Street in downtown Peterborough. The first floor is zoned commercial and the second and third floors are zoned residential. (Photo: Google Maps)
This week’s business news features the sale of the Christensen Fine Art building in downtown Peterborough, a makeover for downtown Peterborough business Dodrio, a new Peterborough facility for Kawartha Metals, an extension of the deadline for the Downtown Dreams contest in Kawartha Lakes, and nominations for the new Osprey Heritage Awards Program in Kawartha Lakes.
Upcoming regional business events include a “Growing Your Business” information session in Cobourg on April 4th, the Peterborough Chamber Breakfast Meeting with Lindsay Stroud on April 10th, FastStart E-Connect with Darryl Goodall and Reg Maranda on April 10th, “Celebrating the Entrepreneurial Woman – You Gotta Laugh” in Lindsay on April 13th, the Medical Officer of Health at the Peterborough DBIA Breakfast Network on April 18th, the Innovation Cluster Agriculture Tech Power Breakfast on April 27th, and the Bobcaygeon Chamber of Commerce Awards of Excellence and Trent Hills Chamber Business Excellence Awards Ceremony, both on April 28th.
We publish businessNOW every Monday. If you want your business news or even to appear in businessNOW, please email business@kawarthanow.com.
Christensen Fine Art selling George Street heritage building
Lori and Peer Christensen, owners of Christensen Fine Art, in 2012. The Christensens are selling their heritage George Street location, which they purchased in 2005. (Photo: Carol Lawless / kawarthaNOW.com)
Peer and Lori Christensen, owners of Christensen Fine Art, are selling their building at 432 George Street North in downtown Peterborough.
The designated heritage building will be listed with Bill Pyle of Century 21 United Realty Inc. on Monday, April 9th. The three-storey building is zoned for commercial on the first floor and residential on the second and third floor.
The Christensens bought the building in 2005 where they operate their gallery and and picture framing, art restoration, and fine art photography business. The gallery, restoration, and framing aspects of the business are on the main floor, with Peer’s studio on the second floor, and their living area on the third floor.
Previously from Victoria in British Columbia, the Christensens relocated to Peterborough in 1986, when they established the Williamson House Gallery, one of Peterborough’s first commercial galleries. Later, they combined two successful ventures, Hunter West Gallery and Starving Artist Frame Outlet, to create Christensen Fine Art.
They will continue to operate the art services portion of their business from their new home in East City where Peer, who is also an acclaimed artist, will focus on his artistic endeavours.
Dodrio in downtown Peterborough will be getting a retail makeover
Owner Josh Johnston has won a retail makeover from Barbara Crowhurst, North America’s leading retail business coach and trainer, for his downtown Peterborough business Dodrio Bubble Tea, Anime Café & Game Lounge. (Photo: Dodrio / Facebook)
Dodrio Bubble Tea, Anime Café & Game Lounge at 404 George Street North downtown Peterborough will be getting a retail makeover.
Owner Josh Johnston won a retail makeover from Barbara Crowhurst, North America’s leading retail business coach and trainer, who spoke at a March 27th event hosted by Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development and the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area.
Besides selling 50 flavours of bubble tea (a Taiwanese tea-based drink with a layer of chewy tapioca balls at the bottom) and authentic Japanese snacks and drinks, Dondrio offers a variety of anime (Japanese animation) merchandise as well as virtual reality and board gaming.
Johnston has already had a consultation with Crowhurst and promises to post before and after shots on his business’s Facebook page.
Kawartha Metals expanding into new 112,000-square-foot building on Fisher Drive in Peterborough
This new 112,000-square-foot building will be the new home of Kawartha Metals and Steelworks Design. (Photo: Kawartha Metals / Facebook)
Kawartha Metals will be expanding into a new home on Fisher Drive in the Major Bennett Industrial Park in Peterborough.
The 112,000-square-foot building will consolidate the company’s 30,000-square-foot Peterborough head office and 24,000-square-foot Port Hope operation.
Owner Tom Elliott established Kawartha Metals Corp. in 1994 as a small business operating out of his garage. Now with around 50 employees, the company (which calls itself the “Candy Store for Welders”) supplies custom steel, industrial, and decorative metals.
Steelworks Design — a full-service engineering firm specializing in mechanical, electrical, and structural design and analysis currently located in Cavan Monaghan — will also be moving into the new building and expanding its operations.
Deadline extended for Downtown Dreams contest in Kawartha Lakes
The deadline to participate in the City of Kawartha Lake’s Downtown Dreams contest has been extended to Friday, April 6th.
Downtown Dreams is a business and growth program designed to attract new or existing businesses to open, expand, or move into the downtowns of Coboconk or Norland, Fenelon Falls, Lindsay and Omemee.
Plans for the program will focus on business attraction, marketing and business training, and development. The total budget for the project is $124,300, with the city receiving up to $62,150 from the Rural Economic Development Fund administered by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
Nominations open for City of Kawartha Lakes Heritage Awards Program
The Kawartha Lakes Municipal Heritage Committee is introducing The Osprey Heritage Awards Program to recognize outstanding contributions towards the creation, preservation, enhancement and promotion of heritage in the City of Kawartha Lakes.
Awards will be offered in five categories: architectural, archeological, community, business leader, and vision.
Entries will be adjudicated by an independent panel of qualified judges and awards will be presented during a City Council meeting in the fall of 2018.
Provincial Budget Review with MPP Lou Rinaldi in Port Hope on April 3
The Northumberland and Port Hope Chambers of Commerce are hosting a Northumberland-Quinte West MPP Lou Rinaldi at 12 p.m. on Tuesday, April 3rd at the Port Hope Town Hall Council Chambers (56 Queen St., Port Hope).
Rinaldi will provide an overview of the Ontario Budget and respond to questions from the audience.
The event is free, but an RSVP is requested to the Port Hope Chamber at 905-885-5519 or admin@porthopechamber.com or the Northumberland Chamber at 905-372-5831 or chamber@nccofc.ca.
Peterborough Chamber PBX at the Mount Community Centre on April 3
The Peterborough Chamber of Commerce’s next PBX (Peterborough Business Exchange) takes place from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 3th at The Mount Community Centre (1545 Monaghan Rd., Peterborough).
Purchased in 2013 by the Peterborough Poverty Reduction Network, the property was turned over to The Mount Community Centre after its incorporation as a non-profit charitable organization. The organization’s Board of Directors kick-started the project and began the property’s redevelopment in 2014 through community support and an innovative social finance plan.
Today, the organization offers apartment units at both affordable and market rate rents in the completed South Wing, office space for not-for-profit organizations and local businesses, as well as space for performing arts and other community gatherings.
The event is free and all are welcome to attend. Bring your business cards.
Growing Your Business information session in Cobourg on April 4
The Northumberland Manufacturers’ Association is hosting “Growing Your Business”, an information session featuring speakers from Export Development Canada and the Business Development Bank of Canada, from 8 to 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 4th at the Business and Entrepreneurship Centre (600 William St., Cobourg).
Nicolas Castonguay of Export Development Canada will speak about EDC as well as risk mitigation, transfer, and sharing, and knowledge solutions. Mathieu Dallaire from the Business Development Bank of Canada will speak about BDC Financing / Advisory 101.
Employment Standards Act and Bill 148 seminar in Lakefield on April 4
The Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism is hosting an Employment Standards Act seminar with a special focus on recent changes to labour laws under the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017 (Bill 148).
The seminar runs from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 4th at the Lakefield Legion (10 Nicholls St, Lakefield).
The session will include a speaker from the Ministry of Labour, and discussions on minimum wage, hours of work, public holidays, leaves of absence, and more. A question and answer period will follow (participants are also email their questions in advance to generalmanager@kawarthachamber.ca).
Peterborough Chamber Breakfast Meeting with Lindsay Stroud on April 10
Lindsay Stroud, Manager of Transportation and Urban Design Programs at GreenUP, will speak at the April 10th Chamber AM breakfast meeting. (Photo: GreenUP)
The next Chamber AM breakfast meeting takes place from 7:00 to 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 10th at Carousel Restaurant & Tavern (116 Lansdowne St. E., Peterborough).
Lindsay Stroud, Manager of Transportation and Urban Design Programs at GreenUP, will speak on the annual Shifting Gears transportation challenge.
Networking begins at 7 a.m. with breakfast at 7:30 a.m. (where you can make your best 30-second elevator speech to the room) followed by the guest speaker at 8 a.m.
Mental Health in the Workplace seminar in Haliburton on April 10
The Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce’s monthly breakfast meeting takes place from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 10th at Maple Avenue Tap & Grill (172 Highland St., Haliburton).
Jack Veitch, Health Promoter and Educator with the Canadian Mental Health Association, will speak about mental health issues in the workplace, including strategies, approach, and prevention.
The cost is $15 for Chamber members and $20 for non-members (includes taxes and gratuity).
Bancroft Chamber of Commerce 2018 Business Symposium on April 10
The Bancroft Chamber of Commerce’s 2018 Business Symposium takes place from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 10th at Bancroft Pentecostal Tabernacle (311 Hastings St. N., Bancfort).
The event includes a keynote from Hastings—Lennox and Addington MP Mike Bossio and three morning panels: “Show Me The Money” (where you get the capital to grow your business) with Michael Gatschene – BDC, Carolyn Barker-Brown – CFDC, and Jacques Pilon, Launch Labs; “Hidden Gems” (community-focused organizations that can help your business) with Loyalist College, Brad Labadie – ECOTB, Melanie Wright – CFDC, and Mark Hanley – Hastings County; and “Seeing through the Smoke” (what you need to know about marijuana in the workplace) with Joel Ribideau, Nancy Wiechenthal – NHFP, and Bancroft OPP.
The cost is $35 for Chamber members and $45 for non-members (includes breakfast). To register, call 613-334-1513 ext. 213 or register online at www.bancroftdistrict.com.
FastStart E-Connect with Darryl Goodall and Reg Maranda on April 10
The next FastStart E-Connect, “Spring into Entrepreneurship 2.0”, takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 10th at The Venue (286 George St. N., Peterborough).
Featured speakers are Darryl Goodall, founder of Part Time CFO Services Inc., and Rejean “Reg” Maranda, co-founder of Reggie’s Hotgrill, El Caminos, McThirsty’s Pint, and Kettledrums Restaurant.
FastStart is a partnership between Trent University, Fleming College, and the Innovation Cluster.
Celebrating the Entrepreneurial Woman – You Gotta Laugh in Lindsay on April 13
Comedian, author and professional speaker Susan Stewart will offer advice on reducing stress on April 13, 2018 in Lindsay. (Publicity photo)
The Kawartha Lakes Small Business & Entrepreneurship Centre (KLSBEC) in partnership with Women in Networking Kawartha Lakes (WiN) are hosting their sixth annual women’s event at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 13th at Olympia Restaurant (106 Kent St. W., Lindsay).
“Celebrating the Entrepreneurial Woman – You Gotta Laugh” features guest speaker Susan Stewart, a comedian, professional speaker, and author of Reaching the Laugh Resort, Your New Lenses are Ready for Pick Up: A Guide to Seeing the Lighter Side of Life and You Gotta Laugh: Wit and Wisdom About Not Taking Life (Or Yourself) Too Seriously. She has spent the last ten years entertaining and inspiring people to see the lighter side of life.
The cost is $45+HST for members of KSLBEC, WiN, and the Lindsay, Fenelon Falls, and Coboconk, Norland and Area Chambers of Commerce or $55+HST for non-members. The price includes a complimentary copy of Stewart’s book You Gotta Laugh.
Medical Officer of Health at Peterborough DBIA Breakfast Network on April 18
Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, Medical Officer of Health with Peterborough Public Health, will speak at the Peterborough DBIA Breakfast Network on April 18. (Photo: Peterborough Public Health)
Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, Medical Officer of Health with Peterborough Public Health, will be the guest speaker at the next Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) Breakfast Network on Wednesday, April 18th.
The DBIA Breakfast Network meets on the third Wednesday of the month at Empress Gardens at 131 Charlotte Street and is open to everyone.
Breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. with Dr. Salvaterra speaking at 8 a.m. Tickets are $5 at the door.
Application deadline for Slingshot incubation program for young entrepreneurs is April 20
Participants in the inaugural Slingshot program in 2017 included businesses related to social media, drones, hockey, influencer marketing, podcasting, and digital solutions. (Photo: Innovation Cluster)
The application deadline for Slingshot, the Innovation Cluster and FastStart Peterborough’s summer incubation program for young entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 29, is midnight on Monday, April 20th.
Successful applicants will receive coworking space in the downtown Cube along with tools, resources, and funding opportunities to grow their business — a value of $5,000 for four months.
Participants in the inaugural Slingshot program in 2017 included businesses related to social media, drones, hockey, influencer marketing, podcasting, and digital solutions. (Photo: Innovation Cluster)
Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 29, planning to start their company in Peterborough and the Kawarthas, and have an idea for a company or have been operational for under one year. Applicants outside of the region are encouraged to apply if they intend on making the move to Peterborough.
At the end of the summer, the most successful company will receive a $1,000 cash prize along with other prizes. Last year’s winner was Vetterview, a social media influencer marketplace created by founder and Slingshot participant Alex Gastle. He is now in London, England growing the company.
Successful applicants will move into the Cube to begin working on their company on May 1st. For more information or to apply, visit www.innovationcluster.ca/slingshot/.
Innovation Cluster Agriculture Tech Power Breakfast on April 27
The Innovation Cluster’s next quarterly Power Breakfast is on the topic of growth and innovation in agriculture technology and takes place on Friday, April 27th at the Holiday Inn Peterborough Waterfront (150 George St., Peterborough).
Presented by Southern Ontario Fund for Investment in Innovation, guest speakers are Jeal Leal (Peterborough MPP, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Minister Responsible for Small Business), Thien Quoc Nguyen and Suresh Narine of the Trent Centre for Biomaterials Research at Trent University, and Darren Goldin (Co-Founder and VP of Operations for Entomo Farms).
The breakfast event takes place from 7:30 to 9 a.m. and features a buffet breakfast of eggs benedict, fresh baked muffins, seasonal fruit yougurt parfaits, smoothies, and pan-friend potatoes.
Bobcaygeon Chamber of Commerce Awards of Excellence on April 28
The Bobcaygeon Chamber of Commerce’s annual Awards of Excellence takes place from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 28th at the Lakeview Arts Barn (2300 Pigeon Lake Rd., Bobcaygeon).
Awards will be presented in the following categories: Employee Achievement, Not for Profit Achievement, Business Achievement, Citizen of the Year, New Business Achievement, Tourism Achievement, Hospitality, and Creative Arts Achievement.
Trent Hills Chamber Business Excellence Awards Ceremony on April 28
The Trent Hills Chamber of Commerce awards ceremony for the 2018 Celebration of Business Excellence takes place from 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 28th at Island Park Retirement Residence (18 Trent Drive, Campbellford).
Awards will be presented in the following categories: Emerging Entrepreneur Award, Customer Experience Award (Service-Based), Customer Experience Award (Product-Based), Pride And Progress Award, Ignite 2018 – Business, Ignite 2018 – Non-Profit Organization, Excellence In Business, Community Impact Award, Inclusive Community Employer Award, and Chair’s Award.
A cocktail reception begins at 7 p.m. followed by the awards ceremony at 8 p.m.
Update April 3, 2018 at 3:17 pm – Environment Canada has now issued a wind warning for Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, and Northumberland, with wind gusts up to 90km/h developing on Wednesday, which may cause power outages and damage to buildings. Environment Canada has also issued a freezing rain warning for northern Peterborough, northern Kawartha Lakes, and Hastings, with freezing rain developing overnight and into Wednesday morning.
A spring storm is on its way to the Kawarthas later today (April 3), bringing significant rain and strong winds overnight and into Wednesday.
A Colorado low pressure system is expected to intensify into an early spring storm as it races across southern and central Ontario tonight.
The weather system will bring a rainfall of 15 to 30 millimetres, most of which will fall tonight, to the southern Kawarthas including Peterborough, Kawarthas Lakes, and Northumberland. Thunderstorms are possible in some areas.
Freezing rain or snow is likely in northern Peterborough County and northern Kawartha Lakes, with significant snowfall (15 to 30 cm) possible in northern Haliburton County.
A sharp arctic cold front associated with the Colorado low will blast across the region early Wednesday morning with strong southwesterly winds. Wind gusts of 80 to 85 km/h are possible early on Wednesday morning.
Isolated power outages may be issues to deal with due to the strong winds.
Musician and actor Lindsay Barr performs the hits of Janis Joplin and recreates key moments in iconic 1960s singer's tragic life in "A Musical Journey with Janis Joplin" at Peterborough's Market Hall on April 13, 2018. She will then take on the role of Captain Hook in the St. James Players production of "eter Pan: A Musical Adventure" from April 27 to 29, 2018. (Photo: Denis Goggin)
As a celebrated award-winning musician, Lindsay Barr has been a familiar name in the Peterborough music scene for years. With her thoughtful lyrics and high-energy performance style, Lindsay has held a healthy fan base for a long time. But these days, Lindsay can be seen combining her music with a new interest in acting which has her starring in two new shows in April.
On Friday, April 13th, Lindsay takes the stage in the role of tragic rock icon Janis Joplin in A Musical Journey with Janis Joplin at Peterborough’s Market Hall. Then, three weeks later, she takes the stage in the role of the villainous Captain Hook in St. James Players family production of Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure from April 27th to 29th. This is an opportunity to see two very different sides of Lindsay in two very different types of shows.
“I’m so excited I have the ability to morph into acting and do music because it satisfies both sides of my soul,” says Lindsay. “However, they are vastly different beasts. The idea of doing a show, working on it, and presenting it on a set block of dates and then moving on to the next one is exciting to me. It’s a never-ending cycle of creativity.”
Although she officially made her acting debut in 2016 in a tiny cameo in the St. James Players production of Princess Whatshername, Lindsay caught the acting bug when she took on the part of Shelly Williams in Killer Tree Production’s presentation of Evil Dead: The Musical in October 2017.
Using her energetic stage presence to her advantage, Lindsay created one of the most memorable roles of the year, prompting me to note her as the best new actor in the Kawarthas of 2017. Evil Dead was such an enjoyable role for Lindsay that she has committed herself to exploring theatre at this point in her career.
Although Lindsay Barr officially made her acting debut in the 2016 St. James Players production of “Princess Whatshername”, her break-out role came in October 2017 as Shelly Williams in Killer Tree Production’s presentation of “Evil Dead: The Musical”. (Photo: Sam Tweedle / kawarthaNOW.com)
“It was a different way of working for me,” Lindsay says of her Evil Dead role. “I seem to be attracted to villainous characters or darker characters. I’ve very jovial and happy in my own life, so being able to play someone other than my own self was very interesting. When you’re a singer-songwriter you’re playing yourself, so being able to develop a different character was very exciting for me.”
For her next project, Lindsay is meshing music and theatre in an all-new original production developed by Rico Browne, Denis Goggin, and herself that celebrates the life and music of Janis Joplin. Called A Musical Journey with Janis Joplin, the show is a hybrid of music and theatrical performance that goes far beyond a tribute show: Lindsay is harnessing the spirit and soul of one of rock and roll’s most beloved, and most tragic, performers.
“My husband Denis and I were talking about doing a project together to get back into music and we were shooting around some artists that we could cover,” Lindsay says. “When Denis said Janis, I knew he had landed on something. Originally we were thinking of a bar gig, but it snowballed really quickly. Before I knew it, I was on the phone with Market Hall and I had booked a three-hundred seater.
“Rico Browne is the musical director and I let him put the band together. Denis is on keys and organ. We also have Bruce Francis on bass, Marcus Browne on drums, Jim Usher on saxophone, and Ben Foss on lead guitar.”
A proclaimed lifelong fan of Joplin, Lindsay’s relationship with the singer goes back to her childhood.
“My Dad had Janis Joplin’s Pearl album in his record collection,” Lindsay recalls. “I’d hear it as a little girl and I’d think how no other woman sang like that. Here was this woman who was impressive in her performance and her vocal approach, and I really got off on that.
“Then, in my teens, I was in a rock orchestra and my music teacher was my musical director in high school, and he put me on Piece of My Heart. The first time I sang it I was amazed that I could sing it. But my teacher knew, before I knew, that I would be able to sing it. That’s when I really started investing my time exploring her music.
“I identify with some of Janis’ aggressive movements and vocal stylistics and stage presence. But now that I’ve not just listened to her but have studied her, I have come to know there is a very gentle side to Janis as well — she’s not just a screamer. I’ve had to learn that, and I’ve learned it by realizing she is using all facets of her voice and she is using all ranges. She is truly a gifted artist.”
One of the most unique and iconic female performers in the history of music, Joplin mixed soul, blues, and psychedelic rock with a powerful and unmistakably original vocal style, making her one of the biggest icons of the late 1960s. However, underneath the fortune and glory was a sad and lonely woman who tried to ease her pain with drugs, liquor, and a constant party that never ended.
“A Musical Journey with Janis Joplin”, with Lindsay Barr singing Janis Joplin, is much more than just a tribute concert: it will be recreating moments of Joplin’s public life on stage as well. (Photo: Denis Goggin)
Born and raised in Texas, Joplin began singing while studying art at the University of Texas in 1962. In 1963, she moved to San Francisco where she struggled to make it as a singer. She then spent some time in New York, but her drinking and drug use didn’t help her musical career and, in 1965, she returned home to Texas to take a break from music and get herself together.
The next year, she auditioned for Big Brother and the Holding Company, a new psychedelic rock band based in San Francisco. She began singing with the band, whose performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 catapulted them to fame, with Joplin’s incredible vocals receiving most of the acclaim.
Joplin decided to leave Big Brother and the Holding Company in 1968 to embark on a solo career. After a historic performance at Woodstock in 1969, she released I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama!.
The record received mixed reviews, which distressed Joplin, who was also struggling with alcohol and drugs, including an addiction to heroin. She was in the process of recording her next album, Pearl, when she was found dead in a Hollywood hotel room of a heroin overdose on October 4, 1970. She was only 27 years old.
Completed by Joplin’s producer, Pearl was released after her death in 1971. It would not only be her biggest-selling album, but her recording of “Me and Bobby McGee” (written by Kris Kristofferson, a former love of Joplin’s) would be her only Billboard number one hit.
“All she wanted was steady love,” Lindsay says of Joplin’s tragic story. “She was all over the place with love affairs, but she really just wanted a man to love and to love her. I’m the opposite end of that. I’m in a committed and loving marriage, and I didn’t have the same problems that she had in school. She was repelled by the popular people, and she wasn’t very popular among the men in her early days. I think we are a contrast, but with a lot of similarities.”
With 16 songs from throughout Joplin’s career, Lindsay’s set list includes classic songs such as “Summertime”, “Piece of My Heart”, “Move Over”, “Cry Baby”, and “Ball and Chain”. But the show is much more than just a tribute concert: it will also be recreating moments of Joplin’s public life on stage.
“There are people on stage as the audience, and we have actors who play Dick Cavett and Ed Sullivan and the hosts from Hollywood Palace,” Lindsay explains. “We have the iconic moment before her Woodstock performance where the gentleman talks about the brown acid. We are recreating moments from her career. It’s more interesting than just performing song after song after song.”
Lindsay Barr will be starring as a female Captain Hook in the St. James Players production of “Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure” from April 27 to 29, 2018.
After the Joplin show, Lindsay will be putting on a very different hat for a very different kind of show when she takes on the role of Captain Hook in Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure. Although the St. James Players’ spring production is always a family-friendy show, Lindsay decided to audition for it right after her appearance in the family-unfriendly Evil Dead.
“The next audition in town after Evil Dead was Peter Pan,” Lindsay says. “I went in and they only gave me the role of Captain Hook to read. I did the audition as a male and I was a bit savage in it. They liked it, they thought it was funny, and I got the call that they wanted me to be Hook.
“That’s when they said they wanted me to play it as a woman, which threw me for a bit of a loop. I get to be crazy and over the top and be all these things that I love to be, and I can get away with it.”
With Lindsay in the role of the classic villain, her co-pirates are all played by adult men while the rest of the cast are all kids. This marks the first time in her career that Lindsay has worked with children.
“I’m forging new relationships with a very innocent side of our community,” Lindsay observes. “I’ve never worked with them before. I mind my p’s and q’s and keep the f-bombs on the down low. I am really learning to work professionally in every walk of life.
“I’ve got to admit that you can learn something from people from every aspect of their life spans. The kids are studious, and a lot of them have vocal coaches and dance instructors. A lot of them are thinking about carrying on in theatre. The youngest member of the cast is a girl named Emma, and she’s five. She plays Tinkerbell and she’s a special kid.”
In addition to her work as an actor, Lindsay Barr has released three albums to date (Devils of Pride, Dove and Dagger, and Time to Let Go) and is working on a new one. (Photo: Denis Goggin)
In the short time I have known Lindsay Barr, she has become one of my favourite performers in Peterborough. Extremely animated and articulate, she has a huge personality, magnetic stage presence, and self confidence. I am captivated by Lindsay, whether she takes the stage as a singer or an actress, and believe she is a magnificent performer. While I’ve become a fan of her music, I am excited to see where her theatrical pursuits will take her next.
“I’m enjoying this journey,” Lindsay says. “I’m still fresh and not jaded. It’s new for me, so I’m not doing something that I’ve done for so many years. I’ve just gotten into it and I’ve been supported in so many ways.”
A Musical Journey with Janis Joplin will be performed at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 13th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough, 705-749-1146). Tickets are $25 ($30 for assigned cabaret table seating) and are available the Market Hall Box Office or online at markethall.org. Tickets are also available (cash only) at Moondance (425 George St. N., Peterborough, 705-742-9425).
Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure runs from Friday, April 27th to Sunday, April 29th at St. James United Church (221 Romaine St., Peterborough). Shows start at 6:30 p.m. with 2 p.m. matinees on April 28th and 29th. Tickets will go on sale on Sunday, April 7th and cost $10 for adults and $9 for children (or $12 all ages for preferred seating in the first three rows). For tickets, visit stjamesplayers.ca.
'Requiem' by Anne Renouf, one of her latest series 'Unfurling' which will be showing at Christensen Fine Art in April, along with photographic collages by Corin Ford-Forrester as part of the SPARK Photo Festival. (Photo courtesy of Christensen Fine Art)
Lots of arts events are happening this April.
Nominations are open for the Electric City Culture Council’s Peterborough Arts Awards and registration is open for Acorn + Oak’s Creative Art Camp for Grown Ups.
The SPARK Photo Festival is happening this month, with the grand opening at the Peterborough Public Library on Tuesday, April 3rd from to 7 p.m. The Juried Exhibit for SPARK will also be opening during the First Friday Art Crawl (Friday, April 6th) at Lett Architects from 7 to 9 p.m. For more information about SPARK, please visit www.sparkphotofestival.org.
The time has also come for the Art School of Peterborough’s annual auction fundraiser, which will have a circus theme this year!
As always, there will be an art crawl on the first Friday of the month and, as part of this, Artspace will be open late and Meta 4 Gallery will host a late-night craft market. Evans Contemporary, Coeur Nouveau, and Star X will all feature new exhibits. Black Honey will be showing the photography of Eric Mckibbon, opening the evening of the Art Crawl, and Christensen Fine Art has a double bill featuring the photography of Corin Ford-Forrester and the mixed media work of Anne Renouf. There will be a vintage clothing market at Watson & Lou and Creating Space Community Art Studio will have a drumming circle and will feature art therapist Myria Rei’s latest series.
Later this month, there will be a ‘Rare Birds Salon’ (an artists’ gathering) at the Garnet in downtown Peterborough, and the Art Gallery of Peterborough will launch a new group exhibition ‘These Things I Have Seen’ featuring work by Carolyn Code, Keita Morimoto, and Megan Ellen MacDonald. The opening reception will be held on Saturday, April 14th at 2 p.m.
Nominations for Peterborough Arts Awards open until April 16
The inaugural Peterborough Arts Awards will be presented during the Mayor’s Luncheon for the Arts on May 25, 2018. (Graphic: Electric City Culture Council)
Electric City Culture Council (EC3) has announced the inaugural Peterborough Arts Awards. There are a number of categories in which individuals can be nominated, from artists, to arts supporters, and catalysts.
This wonderful incentive will culminate on May 25th as part of The Mayor’s Luncheon for the Arts at the McDonnel St. Activity Centre in Peterborough, where the awards will be handed out and which will feature Wanda Nanibush, Curator of indigenous arts at the Ago as guest speaker.
If you have anyone in mind, don’t hesitate to nominate! Submit your nomination by email to electriccitycc@gmail.com or by regular mail to Electric City Culture Council, PO Box 2334, 150 King Street, Peterborough, ON, K9J 7Y8. Nominations are open until 5 p.m. on Monday, April 16th.
Please visit www.ecthree.org for more information about the Peterborough Arts Awards and The Mayor’s Luncheon for the Arts.
Acorn + Oak Retreats present Creative Art Camp for Grown Ups from May 4-6
A new Creative Art Camp for Grown Ups runs from May 4 to 6 at Tamarack Lodge. (Graphic courtesy of Acorn & Oak Retreats)
Registration is open now for Acorn + Oak Retreats’ Creative Art Camp for Grown Ups this spring.
The camp offers weaving, writing, jewellery making, and a choice between wet felting or drawing and painting. The camp also offers yoga, hiking or trail running, and camp fires and slumber parties, with delicious cuisine and cocktails.
Running from May 4th until May 6th at Tamarack Lodge Cottage Resort & Art Centre (1003 English Circle, Gooderham), it sounds like a great way to kick back and relax.
The Art School of Peterborough’s 22nd Annual Art Auction Fundraiser on April 14
For a night of art, including an art auction, circus-style entertainment, and tasty food, look no further than The Art School of Peterborough’s 22nd annual Art Auction coming up on Saturday, April 14th at Princess Gardens (100 Charlotte St., Peterborough).
Doors open at 6 p.m. and the festivities continue until 10 p.m. A silent auction begins at 6:30 p.m. with artworks, local gift certificates, and miscellaneous items. The evening will also feature pop-up entertainment from the Peterborough Academy of Circus Arts.
The annual Art School of Peterborough art auction fundraiser takes place on April 14 at Princess Gardens in Peterborough. (Poster courtesy of The Art School of Peterborough)
The ever-popular 4×4″ mini canvases and 4″x8″ canvases, painted by local artists, will be on sale during the event for $20 and $40 each.
For the live auction, to be called by Keith Monk beginning at 8:30 p.m., more than 30 artists have contributed.
Auction items will include works from Brian Atyeo, Christine Baayen, David Baker, Debra Bannister, Audrey Bain, Peter Barron, Alex Bierk, Pan Buckler, Suzanne Burden, Anne Cavanagh, Nancy R. Chalut, John Climenhage, Kristin Drummond, Richard Hayman, Roz Hermant, Jose Miguel Hernandez Autorino, David Hickey, Lucky Jackson, Dwayne James, Jenni Johnston, George Kovacs, Bill Lockington, Sandy MacFarlane, Lucy Manley, Lisa Martini-Dunk, Doug Mays, Paul Nabuurs, Rob Niezen, Micky Renders, Bronson Smith, Stephen Snider, Sharon Taylor, Susan Taylor-Stevenson, Victoria Wallace, Megan Ward, Marcia Watt, and Gail West.
You may find yourself with a wonderful new art piece at the end of the night. Admission is $15 in advance ($10 for members) and $20 at the door.
This is a chance to support a not-for-profit arts organization and the local arts community while also having a fun night out.
Christensen Fine Art presents two solo shows: ‘Unfurling’ by Anne Renouf and Corin Ford-Forrester as part of the SPARK Photo Festival
‘Stone Mediation III’ by Corin Ford-Forrester, one of her photographic collages on display at Christensen Fine Art as part of the SPARK Photo Festival. (Photo courtesy of SPARK Photo Festival)
This April, Christensen Fine Art will host two solo exhibitions.
Anne Renouf’s latest series ‘Unfurling’ will be on display at street level, while Corin Ford-Forrester will be showing a series of her photographic collages in the upstairs gallery space as part of the SPARK Photo Festival.
An opening reception for both exhibitions takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. during the First Friday Art Crawl (April 6th) and the exhibitions continue until Friday, April 27th.
Christensen Fine Art is located at 432 George Street North in downtown Peterborough. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, visit www.christensenfineart.com.
Evans Contemporary presents ‘Theoretical Stellar Remnants’ by Open Cluster CR-50
‘Seven Reasons Child Stars Go Crazy’ by Open Cluster CR-50, watercolour collage on cardboard, 7″ x 4″, 2018. (Photo courtesy of Evans Contemporary)
This artist collective is constantly changing in terms of who is involved — hence the name Open Cluster.
For ‘Theoretical Stellar Remnants’, Open Cluster CR-50 used the internet and social media for source material. They gathered information about creating an art show in the form of a painting exhibition, and using this information as a starting point have created this abstracted show. The information has been put through a process of manipulation by the members of the collective, resulting in a series of instructions, which are then carried out by one member, resulting in the show that is in display.
An opening reception takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. during the First Friday Art Crawl (April 6th) and the exhibition continues until Saturday, April 28th.
Star X presents ‘periphery’ an experimental installation by Jane Lowbeer
Jane Lowbeer’s ‘periphery’ is an experimental installation with milkweed pods. (Graphic courtesy of Star X)
This April at Star X, Jane Lowbeer’s ‘periphery’, an experimental installation with milkweed pods, will be on display in the gallery.
Jane is an acclaimed mixed media artist based in Peterborough County. You may have seen her work recently at the Art Gallery of Peterborough, The Arts and Heritage Centre in Warkworth, or at Christensen Fine Art, and that is just in the immediate area — she also shows her work in Toronto and Montreal and has exhibited internationally.
Drop by and see what she has created at Star X. The opening reception takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. during the First Friday Art Crawl (April 6th) and the exhibition continues until Saturday, April 28th.
Star X is located at 129-1/2 Hunter St. West, 3rd floor, in downtown Peterborough. Regular hours of operation are Saturday from 12 to 4 p.m.
Coeur Nouveau presents Germ Sperman
Coeur Nouveau will be showing new work from the mysterious Germ Sperman this month. Not to be missed, stop in and see what this elusive artist has been up to.
The opening reception will be held from 6 to 11 p.m. in conjunction with the First Friday Art Crawl (April 6th).
Coeur Nouveau is located on the 2nd floor of the Commerce Building at 129-1/2 Hunter St. West in downtown Peterborough.
Next Rare Birds Salon for visual artists on April 10
Visual artists gathering at the Rare Birds Salon. (Photo courtesy of the Ad Hoc Art Committee)
A incentive of the Ad Hoc Art Committee, Rare Birds Salon is a monthly event for visual artists and arts enthusiasts to gather and discuss whatever is on their minds.
The next Rare Birds Salon will be held at The Garnet from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Thursday, April 10th.
The evening begins with announcements from Ad Hoc Art Committee hosts Ann Jaeger and Paolo Fortin. Anyone with visual arts news or announcements is welcome to take the stage.
The Garnet is located at 231 Hunter Street West in downtown Peterborough.
Acme Art & Sailboat Co. presents abstract work by Robert Atyeo and new work by Joe Stable
‘Never Heard’ (acrylic on canvas, 18″ x 36″) by Robert Atyeo. (Photo courtesy of Robert Atyeo)
Drop by Acme Acme Art & Sailboat Co. to see the latest abstract work of Robert Atyeo.
Born in Toronto, Robert spent his formative years in Peterborough where he developed his career as a professional musician and painter. While living in Quebec for more than 20 years, he became involved in the gallery scene there, where his paintings began to attract attention. He returned to Peterborough where he continues to pursue his painting in his studio.
His paintings embrace a style in which acrylic paint is thrown or dripped onto canvas or found wood, and are influenced by New York abstract expressionists of the 1940s and 1950s such as Pollock, Rothko, and Motherwell.
One of Joe Stable’s ‘Nude Clouds’ series, on display in the Copper Closet. (Photo courtesy of Joe Stable)
Also, in the Copper Closet, artist Joe Stable will feature his ‘Nude Clouds’ series.
The opening reception will be held from 6 to 11 p.m. in conjunction with the First Friday Art Crawl (April 6th).
Acme Art and Sailboat Company is located at 129-1/2 Hunter Street West, 3rd floor, in downtown Peterborough. Hours of operation are Thursday to Saturday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Black Honey presents the photography of Eric Mckibbon
Photographer Eric Mckibbon has a show at Black Honey in April. (Photo: Eric Mckibbon)
It’s not part of the SPARK Photo Festival, but photographer Eric Mckibbon will be showing his work in April at Black Honey in Peterborough.
An opening reception will be held from from 6 to 10 p.m. during the First Friday Art Crawl (April 6th).
Black Honey is located at 217 Hunter Street West in downtown Peterborough.
Creating Space Community Art Studio presents ‘From here to There: Creations, Connections and Continents’ by Myria Rei Solas
Detail of a work by Myria Rei Solas, who is showing at Creating Space Community Art Studio in April. (Photo courtesy of Creating Space Community Art Studio)
In her latest series ‘From here to There: Creations, Connections and Continents’, art therapist Myria Rei Solas explores her journeys from Uganda to Canada and back again.
The show includes mixed media art with original drawings of Myria’s experiences of nature in Canada and Uganda as well as mixed media with photos from her volunteer work in Uganda.
In addition to being an artist, Myria has a Masters in Counselling and Art Therapy from Athabasca University and Vancouver Art Therapy Institute and runs a private practice in counselling, art, and play therapy.
Drop by and see her work and join in a drumming circle from 6 to 9 p.m. during the First Friday Art Crawl (April 6th).
Creating Space Community Art Studio is located at 237 George Street North in downtown Peterborough.
Watson & Lou host Vintage Pop Up with Statement House
Sandra Young of Statement House will be bringing her collection of vintage clothing and accessories to Watson & Lou in downtown Peterborough on April 6. (Photo courtesy of Watson & Lou)
During the First Friday Art Crawl on April 6th, Watson & Lou will be hosting Sandra Young of Statement House with her incredible collection of vintage clothing and accessories.
You can try them, and buy them, with the help of Sandra’s expert opinion. If it is only for one evening that you need to be extra stylish and glamorous, then rental is also an option.
This event will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. Admission is free.
Watson & Lou is located at 383 Water Street in downtown Peterborough.
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.
