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How Community Futures Peterborough helped Peterborough County ‘raise the barn’

By Amy Bowen -
Community Futures Peterborough provided funding to support Peterborough County in the development of the Agricultural Heritage Building at Lang Pioneer Village in Keene, pictured here at the official opening on September 24, 2017. The funding from Community Futures Peterborough allowed the County to dedicate a project manager position to the project, and was also instrumental in helping the County secure additional partnerships and community support. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough County)

Peterborough County now offers visitors a glimpse into the region’s rich agricultural history. The newly erected Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building at Lang Pioneer Village celebrates rural life and the history of families, farms, and agricultural advancements in the area.

The project, which culminated in the construction of a 1910-style barn with the capacity to hold 175 people, was funded in part by Community Futures Peterborough.

Related story

Community Futures Peterborough means business

Community Futures Peterborough is a local organization that has been helping to develop sustainable employment opportunities in the City and County of Peterborough since 1985 and supports small businesses through flexible financing and business services. Community Futures Peterborough is the local branch of the Community Futures Program supporting similar organizations in 61 communities across the province.

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): Bookkeeper Anne Sloggett, Marketing Coordinator Danielle Dickenson, Project Researcher Stephanie Kraus, Business & Loans Officer Ryan Plumpton, Executive Director Gail Moorhouse, EODP Program Administrator Pat Peeling, Office & Loan Administrator Michelle Foster. (Photo: Rick Dolishny)
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): Bookkeeper Anne Sloggett, Marketing Coordinator Danielle Dickenson, Project Researcher Stephanie Kraus, Business & Loans Officer Ryan Plumpton, Executive Director Gail Moorhouse, EODP Program Administrator Pat Peeling, Office & Loan Administrator Michelle Foster. (Photo: Rick Dolishny)

For the Agricultural Heritage Building, the County of Peterborough accessed funding for a Project Manager employment position through the Eastern Ontario Development Program (EODP), a program that supports rural eastern Ontario to pursue the creation of a competitive and diversified regional economy.

Across Eastern Ontario more than $80 million has been invested through the EODP on more than 7,600 business and community development projects to date. The EODP provides funding to applicants for two streams: community innovation and business development. The County was granted funding for the Agricultural Heritage Building through the community innovation stream, allowing the museum to open the newly added facility’s doors to the public in April of 2017.

While the venture is one of Community Future Peterborough’s latest projects, the organization has been active in the community for decades.

The Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building is a multi-functional facility. Not only will the 1910-style barn serve as an agricultural museum, but it will generate additional revenue as a rental venue for conferences and events, producing a significant economic spin-off for the community in line with objectives of Community Futures Peterborough, which provided financing for a project manager. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough County)
The Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building is a multi-functional facility. Not only will the 1910-style barn serve as an agricultural museum, but it will generate additional revenue as a rental venue for conferences and events, producing a significant economic spin-off for the community in line with objectives of Community Futures Peterborough, which provided financing for a project manager. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough County)

Gail Moorhouse, Executive Director of Community Futures Peterborough, says it is rewarding to “drive through the neighbourhoods and see the impact Community Futures Peterborough has had on the local business community.”

The impact the organization has had on the region is wide-reaching.

“Last year we assisted close to 400 businesses and organizations,” Moorhouse says. The County of Peterborough is one of those many organizations.

The roots of the Agricultural Heritage Building go back 12 years, when the International Plowing Match was held in 2006 in Mathers Corners. During the event, organizers received many inquiries related to agriculture in the area.

“As a society, we’ve become so far removed from agriculture,” says Karen Jopling, Project Manager of the Agricultural Heritage Building. “We realized there was a need to educate people on the importance of agriculture and the role that it plays, both from a community perspective but also from an economic impact perspective.”

Modelled after an early 20th century barn, the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building is a unique space that blends in well with the historical setting at Lang Pioneer Village in Keene. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough County)
Modelled after an early 20th century barn, the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building is a unique space that blends in well with the historical setting at Lang Pioneer Village in Keene. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough County)

Joplin points out that the common perception of farmers as simple labourers is a misguided understanding of their important role in society.

“Farmers are actually quite innovative and forward-thinking people,” she explains, emphasizing that communities exist because of the adaptability of the agricultural industry. “Farmers aren’t simply labourers. They are instrumental in developing communities and successfully respond to change. We wouldn’t be here without them.”

Sheridan Graham, Director of Corporate Projects & Services at Peterborough County, met with Pat Peeling, EODP Program Administrator at Community Futures Peterborough, to develop a funding application to present to the Community Futures Peterborough Board of Directors.

“We are fortunate the Board saw the County’s vision and invested in it,” Graham says. “They have been incredibly supportive throughout the whole process.”

The funding that Peterborough County received from Community Futures Peterborough went towards creating a Project Manager employment position.

Jopling filled this role and brought with her a wealth of knowledge and partnerships in the agricultural community from her farming background. Jopling grew up on a dairy farm and has strong emotional ties to the project, which she has worked on for the last four years.

Peterborough County's "Raise the Barn" campaign won a 2017 marking award of excellence from the Economic Developers Council of Ontario. Pictured are: Matt Stimpson, We Design; Peterborough County Warden Joe Taylor; David Jonkers, We Design; Sheridan Graham, Director of Corporate Projects & Services, Peterborough County; Karen Jopling, Manager of Partnership Development & Fundraising, Peterborough County; Jim Glenn, Chair of Build Committee; Melissa Butler, XXIV Social; and Mike Melnik, Impact Communications. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough County)
Peterborough County’s “Raise the Barn” campaign won a 2017 marking award of excellence from the Economic Developers Council of Ontario. Pictured are: Matt Stimpson, We Design; Peterborough County Warden Joe Taylor; David Jonkers, We Design; Sheridan Graham, Director of Corporate Projects & Services, Peterborough County; Karen Jopling, Manager of Partnership Development & Fundraising, Peterborough County; Jim Glenn, Chair of Build Committee; Melissa Butler, XXIV Social; and Mike Melnik, Impact Communications. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough County)

The funding from Community Futures Peterborough not only helped with securing a position dedicated to the project, it was also instrumental in securing additional partnerships and community support. The remainder of funding for the project came from local organizations and community members, as well as the provincial government.

“When you ask community members to invest in a project, they wonder how many of their dollars are actually going to the project versus how many are going to administration,” Jopling says. “Having the position covered by Community Futures Peterborough was a strength and a benefit to the project. We were able to tell potential donors that 100 per cent of their dollars were going to the build.”

The finished building is a unique space that blends in well with the historical setting at Lang Pioneer Village while offering modern amenities, including accessible washrooms and a commercial kitchen.

The building was designed to be a multi-functional revenue generator. The County will run various educational programs year-round, such as cooking classes that focus on sustainable agriculture and farm-to-table practices. The County will also rent the space for weddings, conferences, meetings, and outdoor music events.

This is expected to result in significant economic spin-off for the community — in line with the mission of Community Futures Peterborough to generate and assist in the creation and maintenance of sustainable employment opportunities in the City and County of Peterborough.

The crowd in the Great Hall of the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building for the 3rd annual Sustainable Peterborough Partnership Recognition Awards on April 18, 2018. This was the first event to be hosted in the new building, which is available for rent for weddings, conferences, meetings, music events, and more. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough County)
The crowd in the Great Hall of the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building for the 3rd annual Sustainable Peterborough Partnership Recognition Awards on April 18, 2018. This was the first event to be hosted in the new building, which is available for rent for weddings, conferences, meetings, music events, and more. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough County)

Other attractions at the building include the Peter Hamilton Agricultural Collection, and ongoing development will see the installment of a Wall of Fame Gallery, displays of agricultural equipment and operations demonstrations, a large restoration workshop housing a steam engine, thrasher, and tractors, and a conservation lab with viewing window.

In 2017, 23,000 people visited Lang Pioneer Village, which has five full-time and four part-time staff members. During the busier months of the summer, they employ an additional 25 people.

With the opening of the museum, Graham and Jopling are expecting the number of visitors to increase, and with that, a greater economic impact on the local community — including additional jobs.

The Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building can accommodate up to 175 people and offers modern amenities, including a commercial kitchen, which make it an ideal venue for weddings, conferences, meetings, music events, and more. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough County)
The Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building can accommodate up to 175 people and offers modern amenities, including a commercial kitchen, which make it an ideal venue for weddings, conferences, meetings, music events, and more. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough County)

Peterborough County is well-positioned for tourism and offers an authentic experience of rural life. Jopling says more people are traveling for that authentic experience.

“People want to experience the history and culture of an area. That’s what Lang is. When you walk through the village and you see the Ayotte cabin, or the Milburn and Fitzpatrick houses, there are descendants of those families that are actually dressed in period costumes and talking to visitors about the history of the region. It is truly local and authentic.”

The Agricultural Heritage Building will offer visitors a new and unique experience. Jopling emphasizes that the barn, while it is a new build, is continuing with and maintaining the authenticity of the village, even in its construction process.

VIDEO: Barn Raising in 2017

In April of 2017, the County hosted an old-fashioned barn raising ceremony. Over 400 people attended, including many who had been involved from the beginning, showing the degree to which the community became invested in the project.

“As we raised the walls, everyone was counting down together,” Jopling recalls. “That is a cool moment to reflect on.”

Graham agrees, referring to the project as a community builder with local people involved at every step of the way.

“Local people were on the fundraising and building committee … we had a local architect, a local builder, Trent University students wrote the background of the agricultural implements, and we partnered with Fleming College and their skilled trades program who built the external walls for the building,” Graham says, noting that Fleming students were present for the barn raising ceremony.

“Local champions came together to help make this happen. The commitment has been phenomenal,” says Graham, indicating that a donor wall is being constructed at the museum to identify everyone who has contributed to the project.

For other organizations looking to access Community Futures Peterborough financing, Graham says not to be afraid to ask.

Financial Fridays return this fall

This fall, Community Futures Peterborough will continue hosting its bi-monthly Financial Fridays financial seminars.

Upcoming presenters include: Grace Reynolds of My Mortgage Master, who will be speaking on the ins and outs of entrepreneurs getting a mortgage for purchasing their homes; wyneth James of Cody & James, who will be speaking on payroll and Bill 141; Dan Callaghan of Scotiabank, who will be speaking on credit scores and various types of bank accounts; and Christina Teixeira of Accountability Financial, who will be teaching entrepreneurs how to conquer their fear of small business bookkeeping.

Community Futures Peterborough is also organizing a conference in November 2018 with speakers who will present on various financial topics. Details about this event and upcoming Financial Friday event will be available in the coming months.

“You might read online about a program, but when you actually meet with them and talk through your idea and receive input, they might have other ideas or know of other funding streams that you didn’t even know about.”

Jopling agrees.

“Sometimes people think they are going to say no, but they are in a position where they want to say yes. They want to see the positive impact on the community. It’s a benefit to both sides.”

There are many ways Community Futures Peterborough helps local organizations. Sometimes they simply share financial knowledge or refer people to community partners.

“Other times our conversations lead to financial assistance on some level,” Moorhouse adds.

“Last year, we helped 19 new startup businesses and 12 local businesses expand with loans as small as $2,500 to more than $150,000. The results are more than 200 jobs created and maintained in the City and County of Peterborough.”

For more information about financial assistance programs offered by Community Futures Peterborough, call 705-745-5434, email info@cfpeterborough.ca or visit communityfuturespeterborough.ca. You can also follow Community Futures Peterborough on Facebook and Twitter.

For rental information and rates for the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building, visit www.langpioneervillage.ca/pcahb/.

Ecology Park is an oasis of nature hidden in the heart of Peterborough

By GreenUP -
The GreenUP Ecology Park is one of Peterborough's hidden gems. Located beside Beavermead Park, the five-acre park offers display gardens and naturalized areas, a native plant nursery, children's programs, a garden market, skills-building workshops, hands-on displays, and more. (Photo: GreenUP)

When approached by new visitors to GreenUP Ecology Park, staff members often hear “I never knew this place existed!”

Whether you have lived in the Peterborough area for one year or 20, GreenUP Ecology Park remains a hidden gem.

Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Vern Bastable, GreenUP Ecology Park and Landscape Programs Manager.

Our five-acre park, located beside Beavermead Campground, is a showcase of sustainable landscape ideas and resources. We host display gardens and naturalized areas, a native plant nursery, children’s programs, a garden market, skills-building workshops, hands-on displays, and more! The park has everything you need to be a good, local steward.

GreenUP Ecology Park has been in its current location for 25 years. Although it is a public park, it is managed by the many efforts of GreenUP staff and volunteers, not city workers. Ecology Park is part of GreenUP and is a non-profit registered charity.

Shoppers select from a huge variety of native plants from the GreenUP Ecology Park Garden Market, on opening day this spring. The Garden Market remains open all season long Thursdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Or you can walk through and enjoy the gardens any time. (Photo: Karen Halley / GreenUP)
Shoppers select from a huge variety of native plants from the GreenUP Ecology Park Garden Market, on opening day this spring. The Garden Market remains open all season long Thursdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Or you can walk through and enjoy the gardens any time. (Photo: Karen Halley / GreenUP)

Each individual involved in the park over 25 years has contributed to the beautiful landscape that exists today.

While visiting Ecology Park, you can view many varieties of trees, shrubs, and wildflowers, with growth spanning nearly a quarter century — and then you can purchase plants there, too.

Many furry and feathered creatures call the park home. Early morning visitors that arrive at Ecology Park are able to greet and observe the many bird species that either live in or pass through our little sanctuary.

Many native and wild plants make beautiful additions to your garden and are also an important part of local ecosystems, providing habitat for wildlife and pollinators like Monarch Butterflies, as seen here at GreenUP Ecology Park. The Ecology Park Garden Market features over 150 species of native and edible plants, shrubs, and trees to select from. (Photo: Samantha Stephens)
Many native and wild plants make beautiful additions to your garden and are also an important part of local ecosystems, providing habitat for wildlife and pollinators like Monarch Butterflies, as seen here at GreenUP Ecology Park. The Ecology Park Garden Market features over 150 species of native and edible plants, shrubs, and trees to select from. (Photo: Samantha Stephens)

Chipmunks, squirrels, bats, foxes, raccoon, toads, frogs, turtles, beaver, muskrat, and even the occasional weasel can be found within the park, especially during quieter times of the day.

Many species at risk can also be found at the park. Over the past several years, the Little Brown Bat, Monarch Butterfly, and the Wood-poppy plant have been found within Ecology Park.

These observations suggest that the park is an important corridor for migrant and local species.

A child matches pollinators with their host plants at the GreenUp Ecology Park Children’s Garden. The Children’s Garden is full of fun activities for kids to learn about nature; the famous play log, willow tunnel, and cedar maze, are always open for play time. (Photo: Karen Halley / GreenUP)
A child matches pollinators with their host plants at the GreenUp Ecology Park Children’s Garden. The Children’s Garden is full of fun activities for kids to learn about nature; the famous play log, willow tunnel, and cedar maze, are always open for play time. (Photo: Karen Halley / GreenUP)

The Peterborough community is well known for its willingness to get involved. For those looking to expand a garden or to start one from scratch, the GreenUP Ecology Park has you covered. We offer a large, and local, selection of trees, shrubs, and wildflowers.

Additionally, we have cedar mulch, wood chips, and your own City of Peterborough ‘black gold’ compost for sale. Take a stroll through our gardens for ideas and examples of how to use native plants for a variety of different gardening styles.

Starting June 28th, our friends The Peterborough Master Gardeners will be available to answer your gardening questions. Visit them on Thursdays from 1 to 4:30 p.m. for the next six weeks to ask all your gardening questions such as: Which plant goes where? How do I properly prune a tree? Can you help me identify this species? These experts will be there for all your gardening needs.

GreenUP Ecology Park connects to the 24,000-kilometre Trans-Canada Trail system. You can get there on foot, by bicycle, or by taking public transit. If you choose to drive, parking is available in the Beavermead parking lot. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW.com)
GreenUP Ecology Park connects to the 24,000-kilometre Trans-Canada Trail system. You can get there on foot, by bicycle, or by taking public transit. If you choose to drive, parking is available in the Beavermead parking lot. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW.com)

The GreenUP Ecology Park is not just for those with green thumbs. If gardening is not your thing, perhaps a stroll or run along our trails is more your speed. The park connects to the 24,000-kilometre Trans-Canada Trail system.

If you are looking to relax and read a book, the gazebo near the pond might just be your destination. Maybe you need a place to let the little ones burn off some energy, or to spend some quality time with their grandparents?

Our children’s play area contains a willow tunnel, cedar maze, and the famous play log. Bring a picnic basket, enjoy a meal under the shade of a tree, or just “Zen” out while listening to the leaves blow in the wind.

Kids visiting Ecology Park can enjoy the willow tunnel, the cedar maze, and the famous play log. (Photo: GreenUP)
Kids visiting Ecology Park can enjoy the willow tunnel, the cedar maze, and the famous play log. (Photo: GreenUP)

GreenUP Ecology Park is a four-season destination worthy of a place on your 2018 summer bucket list. The park is open to the public 365 days a year. Market hours are Thursdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information about Ecology Park, the Garden Market, workshops, and more, visit www.greenup.on.ca/ecology-park/.

Walk, bike, bus or drive on down (parking available in Beavermead parking lot) and check out what 25 years of environmental stewardship and community involvement looks like. I promise, you won’t be disappointed.

One of the beautiful natural vistas you will experience when entering GreenUP Ecology Park. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
One of the beautiful natural vistas you will experience when entering GreenUP Ecology Park. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)

The first heat wave of summer arrives

By kawarthaNOW -

A heat wave begins today (June 28) in southern Ontario including the Kawarthas — just in time for the real beginning of summer for kids, with today being the final day of classes for elementary school students and of exams for high school students.

Related story

It’s going to be hot this Canada Day weekend, so leave your pets at home

Environment Canada has already issued a special weather statement to advise of an “extreme heat event” beginning on Saturday (June 30) and continuing through the Canada Day long weekend.

And today, Peterborough Public Health issued its first heat warning for the season.

Daytime highs this weekend are expected to reach the low to mid thirties with humidex values into the mid forties. Overnight low temperatures will only fall to the low twenties, providing little or no relief from the heat.

VIDEO: “School’s Out for Summer” by Alice Cooper from the film Dazed and Confused

Beginning Saturday and continuing through the Canada Day long weekend, daytime highs are expected to reach the low to mid thirties with humidex values into the mid forties.

Overnight low temperatures will only fall to the low twenties, providing little or no relief from the heat.

It will start to heat up today and by Friday, when sunny skies return, temperatures will tip over 30°C. The heat will continue to climb on Saturday and Sunday.

The long-range forecast predicts the heat wave will continue for most if not all of next week, with temperatures remaining in the low thirties every day.

Free trolley service comes to downtown Peterborough this summer for Musicfest

By kawarthaNOW -
The Town Trolley, owned and operated by Michael Bryant of Dromoland out of Little Britain, will be used to provide free service from downtown Peterborough to Del Crary Park from 6 to 10 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays between June 30 and August 25, 2018. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)

A new free trolley service is starting in downtown Peterborough this summer.

The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) is launching the trolley service from downtown to Del Crary Park for the free Peterborough Musicfest concerts, which take place every Wednesday and Saturday night during the summer.

Free trolley rides will begin on Saturday, June 30th and run through Saturday, August 25th.

“We wanted to support Musicfest in a way that also helps our downtown,” says DBIA executive director Terry Guiel. “The San Francisco-style trolley car really takes people back in time and that is the charm we wanted to capture.”

Guiel and Councillor Dean Pappas looked at ways to get Musicfest patrons parking, shopping, and dining downtown before and after the concerts. The trolley caught their eye during Doors Open Peterborough in May, when there was a lot of positive reaction from the community.

“The trolley is an engaging way to link two amazing things about this city, downtown Peterborough and Musicfest,” says Pappas. “This is going to be good for local businesses, good for people with accessibility challenges, and good for all of us who are heading to Del Crary Park this summer for an amazing lineup of entertainment at this year’s Musicfest.”

The trolley is owned and operated by Michael Bryant of Dromoland out of Little Britain. It is actually a converted bus made to look like a trolley. Bryant will bring in a trolley load of visitors with him from Kawartha Lakes each concert night and take them home after. The trolley will be driven by the City of Peterborough’s own transit drivers from Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1320.

According to local historian Elwood Jones, real trolleys used to run in downtown Peterborough between 1904 and 1928, with a much earlier version in the 1890s.

“Peterborough Musicfest is excited to announce our new partnership with DBIA!” says Tracey Randall, General Manager of Peterborough Musicfest. “Thank you for providing free shuttle service to our visitors and fans who will be shopping and eating out downtown every Wednesday and Saturday all summer long. We appreciate connecting our community together with live music at the park and a unique experience to get you there.”

All stops will occur on the right side of George Street. Trolley pickups will begin at Confederation Square (across from City Hall) and continue at the intersections with Brock, Hunter, Simcoe, Charlotte and King from 6 to 10 p.m.. The trolley will finish at Del Crary Park where it will swing around and loop back to City Hall.

The trolley is accessible and can hold 30 people seated and 15 standing.

The DBIA notes the trolley is not intended as a substitute for Peterborough Transit, and expects the demand for this free trolley will exceed its capacity, especially when the concerts end. Priority will be given to those with mobility issues, seniors, and expectant mothers or parents with young children.

The trolley service is being sponsored by the DBIA, Aon Inc., Cogeco Your TV, James “Mighty” Fallen, Ontario Carpet Supermart, and Gerti’s.

What’s new from the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism – June 27, 2018

By kawarthaNOW -
There are lots of ways to celebrate Canada Day in the Kawarthas on Sunday, July 1st, including enjoying horse-drawn wagon rides through the historic Lang Pioneer Village Museum in Keene during the annual Historic Dominion Day. (Photo: Lang Pioneer Village)

Kawartha Chamber Members Invited To Summer Social PBX next Tuesday – July 3rd

KLC County Fair

Members of the Kawartha Chamber have been invited to the Peterborough Chamber’s county fair-themed Summer Social Peterborough Business Exchange at Kawartha Lakes Construction.

The event will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 3rd at 3359 Lakefield Road, Lakefield.

This is a great opportunity to meet and connect with fellow community members. There will be tons of games, prizes, and delicious refreshments to go around to celebrate the season and our community.

Register now.

 

Did you know?

Chamber members get preferred rates on merchant services with First Data.

First Data offers a variety of services to merchants including Ecommerce, wired and wireless terminals, gift card solutions and more. They will meet or beat your current provider’s offer, or pay you a $1000 pre-paid MasterCard.

Find out more about this and other great discount programs available to Chamber members on the Member Discounts page.

 

Tourism Industry Awards Nominations Open

Tourism Industry Awards

The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario has announced nominations for various tourism organization awards:

  • The Tourism Industry Awards of Excellence (TIAO)
  • Culinary Tourism Awards of Excellence (Culinary Tourism Alliance)
  • Ontario’s Choice Awards (Attractions Ontario)
  • Tourism Marketing & Travel Media Awards of Excellence (Destination Ontario)

For more information on each organization’s awards, and to nominate a business, visit www.tiaontario.ca/cpages/2018ontariotourismawards.

 

Happy Canada Day! Canada Day Celebrations Sunday, July 1st

Activities at Historic Dominion Day on Sunday, July 1st at Lang Pioneer Village Museum in Keene include horse-drawn carriage rides, historical battle reenactments, educational pieces on confederation, schoolyard games, and live music. (Photo: Lang Pioneer Village)
Activities at Historic Dominion Day on Sunday, July 1st at Lang Pioneer Village Museum in Keene include horse-drawn carriage rides, historical battle reenactments, educational pieces on confederation, schoolyard games, and live music. (Photo: Lang Pioneer Village)

No matter where you are celebrating, the Chamber has you covered for Canada Day with events across the region:

The Buckhorn Community Centre is hosting a Canada Day Celebration at their location, 1782 Lakehurst Road.

  • Daytime celebrations run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • There will be a petting zoo, market place, beer garden, and much more
  • Evening Celebrations start at 8 p.m. with fireworks at 10 p.m.
  • More information

There will be a Canada Day Parade in Douro-Dummer.

  • The parade will begin at the intersection of County Road 4 and the Douro 4th Line
  • Parade starts at 3 p.m.
  • More information

A Lakefield Canada Day Celebration will be happening at Isabel Morris Park.

  • Celebrations start at 3 p.m.
  • Activities include a petting zoo, kid’s games, local vendors, fireworks and more
  • More information

Another Lakefield Canada Day Celebration is being hosted by the Lakefield Legion at 10 Nicholls St. Lakefield.

  • Celebrations run from 1 to 9 p.m.
  • Activities include music, the Lions Club BBQ Trailer, and more
  • More information

The Apsley Lions are hosting a Canada Day Parade & Celebration in Apsley.

  • Parade at 3 p.m. on Burliegh Street in Apsley
  • Food Booth from 4 to 8 p.m.
  • Fireworks in Lions Park at dusk
  • More information

Lang Pioneer Village is taking you back in time for Historic Dominion Day in Keene.

  • Celebrations run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Activities include horse-drawn carriage rides, historical battle reenactments, educational pieces on confederation, schoolyard games, and live music
  • Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for students and seniors, free for children under five, and $30 for a family pass.
  • More information

 

Lakefield Jamboree This Weekend

Organized by the Lakefield Agricultural Society, the 7th annual Lakefield Country Jamboree is happening this weekend from June 28th to July 1st.

The Jamboree is hosting a great lineup of musicians, including James Ryce, Percey Kinney, and John Milner, and featuring the Tim Sander Band as the Main Stage backup.

Enjoy or participate in an Open Mic on Thursday evening, or Friday and Saturday afternoon with Paul Wasson Burnt River Band. And come for Gospel Hour on Sunday from 11 a.m. to noon.

Camping and walk-in passes are available. Read more information.

 

Lakefield Jazz Festival – Saturday, July 7th

Lakefield Jazz Festival

The Lakefield Jazz, Art & Craft Festival and Selwyn Township invite you, your friends and family to come to a breezy day of outdoor summer living beside Lakefield’s scenic Otonabee River.

Enjoy a wide variety of Jazz music, colourful works for sale by artisans and crafters, local food vendors, Black’s Distillery, and Publican House Brewery.

Arts and crafts exhibits open at 10 a.m. Musicians begin performing at 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Find out more.

 

Lakefield Literary Festival 2018 To Offer Writing Craft Talk

Michael Redhill, whose most recent novel "Bellevue Square" won the 2017 Giller Prize, will be delivering a talk on the novel at the Lakefield Literary Festival.

Michael Redhill, whose most recent novel “Bellevue Square” won the 2017 Giller Prize, will be delivering a talk on the novel at the Lakefield Literary Festival.

The Lakefield Literary Festival is taking place July 13th to 15th.

This year, authors Barbara Mitchell, Michael Redhill, and Kyo Maclear will be offering Writing Craft Talks on non-fiction, fiction, and picture book writing respectively.

These 90-minute sessions will include talks and discussion of the craft of writing, as well as optional practice exercises. Tickets are $30 (not included in festival pass).

Tickets for the festival and these talks are available online or at Happenstance Books & Yarn.

Visit lakefieldliteraryfestival.com for details.

 

Craftworks Cruise Nights Every Thursday

Craftworks at the Barn is hosting a Cruise Night every Thursday this summer.

Featuring tons of unique vintage, retro, classic, sporty and many more different kinds of cars, each week you also have the chance to win a trip to Las Vegas and the 50/50 draw, Great food and crafts are also available.

Cruise nights run from 4 to 8 p.m.

Read more. Craftworks also hosts a Farmers’ Market on Saturdays,

 

Family Paddle Day

Family Paddle Day is this Wednesday, June 27th.

Join Adventure Outfitters, Paluski Boats, The Lakefield Pantry, Lakefield Herald, and the Lakefield Trail Committee at Family Paddle day at the Lakefield Beach for an evening paddle on Katchewanooka Lake, in celebration of National Canoe Day.

Bring a canoe or kayak if you have one, Adventure Outfitters will have extra if you don’t.

The paddle starts at 5:30 p.m., there will be a beach bonfire afterwards. Read more.

 

Marlin Travel Early Booking Savings

Summer is here but its time to take advantage of the early booking savings for winter holidays.

Transat Holidays has extended their early booking specials to mid July. Low deposits of just $100 per person, free upgrades and price guarantees — it pays to book early with Marlin Travel. The group tour lineup for 2019 will see escorted tours go on the Douro River in Portugal, Scotland, Italy, Ireland and the Jewels of Europe from Amsterdam to Budapest. The 2020 Viking River cruise to Russia is now booking.

Located in store at Marlin Travel is the new Travel n Style Cruise and Leisure wear featuring Rapz. Colourful patterns and styles for everyone — and best of all its made in Canada. Check it out today. Call Marlin Travel to find out more about our private shopping parties.

 

Chamber Members are Hiring

If your business or organization has a job opportunity you would like to advertise, you can add them to the Chamber’s website through your Member Information Centre account (or submit the description to info@kawarthachamber.ca) and the Chamber will share them in its next Newsflash.

 

Great Canadian Giving Challenge on Now until June 30th

Great Canadian Giving Challenge

The Great Canadian Giving Challenge is on now until June 30th.

Give to any registered Canadian charity by the end of June and they will be automatically entered to win $10,000! Note that donations must be made through the charity’s donation challenge page.

This challenge makes it a great time to donate to a cause you believe in! Visit the Challenge website at givingchallenge.ca for more details and to donate.

Check the Chamber’s business directory and keep an eye out for some member organizations that are charities.

 

Upcoming Events

  • Buckhorn Farmers’ & Craft Market Opens – June 26th
  • Tek Savvy Seniors Seminar – June 27th
  • Warsaw Cruise Night – June 27th
  • Lakefield Farmers’ Market – Every Thursday
  • Cottage Country Farmers’ Market at the Barn – Every Saturday
  • Gallery on the Lake Mark Berens Exhibit Opens – June 30th
  • Church-Key Summer Concert Series: Queen & Son – June 30th
  • Canada Day Celebrations – July 1st

 

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.

Absurdist play ‘The Chairs’ marks the end of an era for The Theatre on King

By Sam Tweedle -
Di Latchford and Randy Read star in Eugene Ionesco's play "The Chairs" at The Theatre on King from June 27 to 30, 2018. Directed by Ryan Kerr, this production will be the last staged at The Theatre on King's space in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Andy Carroll)

On Wednesday, June 27th, The Theatre on King (TTOK) closes its 2017-2018 season with Ryan Kerr’s production of Eugene Ionesco’s absurdist comedy The Chairs.

Featuring the talents of Di Latchford and Randy Read, The Chairs also marks an end of an era for TTOK as the final theatrical production performed at their much-beloved performance space at 159 King Street in downtown Peterborough.

The Chairs

When: Wednesday, June 27 to Friday, June 29 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, June 30 at 2 p.m.
Where: The Theatre on King (159 King St., Suite 120, Peterborough)
How much: $15 at the door or pay what you can

Written by Eugene Ionesco and directed by Ryan Kerr. Starring Di Latchford and Randy Read. Costumes by Kate Story, set by Kate Story and Paul Oldham, and lights and sound by Shannon McKenzie.

Since presenting The Bald Soprano in the fall of 2016, Ryan Kerr has made Eugene Ionesco productions a regular occurrence at TTOK. Filled with clever word play, zany characters ,and politically charged allegories, Ionesco’s plays are often difficult shows to produce, but Ryan and his company have risen up to the challenge again and again, making his Ionesco shows not only some of the most memorable productions Ryan has produced but also entertaining, audience favourites.

“The challenge in Ionesco, or any of the writers of the theatre of the absurd, is that it a completely different style,” Ryan explains. “There isn’t necessarily a through line. There’s not necessarily character development.

“It’s more about ideas, the situation, and the language. It really highlights the words as opposed to the people or the characters. They are a challenge for the actors, the director, and the audience.”

Ryan says he also enjoys Ionesco because he finds the plays “hilarious”.

“A lot of the writers in Europe writing plays just after World War Two were very deeply touched and affected by the war, and it’s interesting they chose to write with humour as a way to understand what had happened. I think there had to be a certain kind of pressure gauge that had to be released, and these shows acknowledge that they world is indeed absurd — but it can also be funny, and also poignant and touching.”

In "The Chairs", Di Latchford and Randy Read play an old married couple who are frantically preparing chairs for guests who are coming to hear the old man's astounding revelation. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
In “The Chairs”, Di Latchford and Randy Read play an old married couple who are frantically preparing chairs for guests who are coming to hear the old man’s astounding revelation. (Photo: Andy Carroll)

Written in 1952, The Chairs has been described as being “a tragic farce.” The show presents an older married couple who, although having been together for decades, retain a loving marriage. Recently the man has come upon “a message” he feels must be told to “everyone” and calls for a great meeting at his home.

Together, he and his wife prepare for their guests, and to reveal the man’s message to the world. Of course, there is much more to the story, but in all honesty it is best for the audience to discover the show just as I did. Allow yourself to be surprised and delighted, and buckle up for a very funny and surprising journey.

“It’s all about what’s real and what’s not,” Ryan says. “I don’t want to give any more away.”

Randy Read and Di Latchford bring something very special to this show. Their delivery of the material is much different than that of other Ionesco shows Ryan has produced in the past. In other shows, the actors tend to accentuate the absurdity of the language and situation by creating over emphasized characters with a certain over-the-top tone to the comedy. However, with Randy and Di, a different tone is created by having the two characters played in a much more straigthforward fashion.

Starring Di Latchford and Randy Read, "The Chairs" is directed by Ryan Kerr with costumes by Kate Story, set by Kate Story and Paul Oldham, and lights and sound by Shannon McKenzie. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
Starring Di Latchford and Randy Read, “The Chairs” is directed by Ryan Kerr with costumes by Kate Story, set by Kate Story and Paul Oldham, and lights and sound by Shannon McKenzie. (Photo: Andy Carroll)

It’s interesting to listen to these characters be placed in such a ridiculous situation, but present it as if it’s the most normal situation in the world. The result is an entirely different dynamic than what I’ve come to expect from one of Ryan’s Ionesco shows. There’s warmth between the two characters, who thereby become much more relatable to the audience despite the insanity presented on the stage.

A regular on the local stage and at TTOK, this marks Di Latchford’s first appearance in one of Ryan’s Ionesco productions.

“I’ve had Di cast in another roles at TTOK and she’s fantastic,” Ryan says of his leading lady. “I wanted to give her a role that would show off what she can do, but also challenge her.”

The Chairs is also a rare acting appearance by local favourite Randy Read, best known as the artistic director of New Stages Peterborough, who makes his TTOK debut in something completely out of his element.

“Randy has done a lot of acting in his life, but he hasn’t been doing a lot of acting recently,” Ryan explains. “He did do Our Town at Market Hall recently, but he has never done any acting at The Theatre on King before.

“Randy also tends to explore more non-absurd theatre in his own productions, so I knew this would be a challenge because it is new for him. It’s a new space for him and, although we’ve worked together before, he hasn’t worked with me as a director.

"The Chairs" runs from June 27 to June 30, 2018 at The Theatre on King. (Poster: Theatre on King)
“The Chairs” runs from June 27 to June 30, 2018 at The Theatre on King. (Poster: Theatre on King)

“Di and Randy are the perfect choices for this production. It’s been interesting working with them, and seeing them rise to the challenge. They both get along really well, and they are the perfect cast for this show.”

While not all of the absurdist theatre that Ryan produces at TTOK could necessarily be called audience friendly, what I personally love about Eugene Ionesco is how genuinely entertaining his plays are. Although the language might be challenging and the plots and events up for personal interpretation, the themes of the shows are fairly straightforward and understandable.

The Chairs is no exception to this, with much of the same themes of the uncontrollable nature of events and absurdity of power being explored. It’s an easily accessible and entertaining show completely different from what is being produced by any other theatre company in Peterborough.

“We don’t necessary learn this history of theatre anymore,” Ryan points out. “We are in the age of very popular musicals. That’s fine, but it means that some of the really good plays written in the past are being skipped over and forgotten. You need to know where you came from in order to go forward.

“I also think absurdist plays are very appropriate for the times that we are living in. Our leaders are not who they appear to be. There’s an awful lot of absurdity and randomness that we have no control over. In some sense, we can identify with some of the characters and what they are going through.”

The Chairs also features costumes by Kate Story, set by Kate Story and Paul Oldham, and lights and sound by Shannon McKenzie. It is truly the best of what patrons have come to expect of TTOK’s mission at creating interesting and thought-provoking theatre.

As mentioned, The Chairs will also mark the end of an era for The Theatre on King. When the final curtain comes down at the 2 p.m. matinee on June 30th, it will mark the final theatrical performance for the TTOK, as a popular and much-loved artistic hub, at the King Street location.

Rumours of major changes in the works for TTOK have been circulating through the arts community in recent days. Although nothing official has been announced yet, things will look much different for the theatre company when they launch their 2018-2019 season in September.

In the meantime, the LLAADS troupe (Lindsay Unterlander, Luke Foster, Adam Wilkinson, Adam Martignetti, Dan Smith, and Sarah McNeilly) will continue to perform their popular comedy show at the space through June and July, and a few other events will be held before the theatre closes for August. But as for theatrical productions, The Chairs will be the final chance for audiences to enjoy the experience of seeing unique theatre in this black box space again. The Chairs is a perfect way to say goodbye to the TTOK that we’ve come to know.

The Chairs runs from Wednesday, June 27th to Saturday, June 30th at TTOK in downtown Peterborough, with performances at 8 p.m. except the closing matinee on Saturday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 at the door or pay what you can.

Sloan headlines The Hootenanny On Hunter Street on August 11

By kawarthaNOW -
Sloan is headlining The Hootenanny On Hunter Street music festival on August 11, 2018 in downtown Peterborough. (Publicity photo)

Toronto-based rockers Sloan will be headlining this year’s The Hootenanny On Hunter Street, which takes place in downtown Peterborough beginning at noon on Saturday, August 11th.

This is the first year the annual street festival is being organized by the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA).

“It’s been exciting watching this lineup come together,” says DBIA executive director Terry Guiel. “Sloan was booked to play Hootenanny two years ago, but was unfortunately rained out. We’re thrilled to announced that they’ll be headlining our 2018 lineup.”

VIDEO: 2018 Hootenanny on Hunter Street Lineup

Along with Sloan, the lineup features local musicians Missy Knott and Lindsay Barr, along with Charmie, Gene Hardy & Sparkjiver, Band Of People, Blue Sky Miners, Secret Broadcast, and YUKA.

Hootenanny runs from noon to 11 p.m. on Hunter Street West between George and Aylmer streets. Admission is free.

Here’s the full lineup with performance times:

  • 12:00 p.m. – Missy Knott
  • 1:15 p.m. – Charmie
  • 2:30 p.m. – Gene Hardy & Sparkjiver
  • 3:45 p.m. – Lindsay Barr
  • 5:00 p.m. – Band Of People
  • 6:15 p.m. – Blue Sky Miners
  • 7:30 p.m. – Secret Broadcast
  • 8:45 p.m. – YUKA
  • 10:00 p.m. – Sloan.

Catholic school board celebrates $650,000 investment in high school welding program

By kawarthaNOW -
As part of a $650,000 investment in Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board's welding program, the board's six secondary schools located in Peterborough, Cobourg, Lindsay, and Clarington are being equipped with state-of-the-art welding booths thanks to partnerships with the CWB Welding Foundation, which funded nearly half of the project, as well as McCloskey International for its donation of all 36 welding booth structures. (Photo courtesy of Galen Eagle / PVNC)

At a media conference held earlier today (June 26) at St. Peter Catholic Secondary School in Peterborough, the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board (PVNC) celebrated a new $650,000 investment to improve the welding program at the board’s six secondary schools located in Peterborough, Cobourg, Lindsay, and Clarington.

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Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program helps break gender stereotypes in the skilled trades

After more than a year of planning, the board will install 36 new fully outfitted welding booths at its secondary schools between now and the end of August 2018. The project will also help train teachers on the most current welding techniques, with more than a dozen educators undergoing enhanced welding training attending the media conference.

The board’s improved welding program will offer students enhanced learning and better prepare them for co-op placements as part of Specialist High Skills Major programs and Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Programs throughout the region. The new welding facilities will also allow PVNC to enchnce partnerships with local colleges including Fleming, Durham, and Loyalist.

Attendees at the June 26, 2018 media conference celebrating the new $650,000 investment in the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington (PVNC) Catholic District School Board's welding program. PVNC director of Education Michael Nasello (pictured in the front row, far right) praised the announcement as a significant advantage for students to receive much-in-demand welding skills while still attending high school. (Photo courtesy of Galen Eagle / PVNC)
Attendees at the June 26, 2018 media conference celebrating the new $650,000 investment in the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington (PVNC) Catholic District School Board’s welding program. PVNC director of Education Michael Nasello (pictured in the front row, far right) praised the announcement as a significant advantage for students to receive much-in-demand welding skills while still attending high school. (Photo courtesy of Galen Eagle / PVNC)

“Earlier this year, we hosted a group of industry leaders who described the dire need for qualified welders in the local and provincial job markets,” said PVNC Director of Education Michael Nasello. “That is why this enhanced welding program at PVNC will be an advantage to our students, giving them an early taste for the skilled trades while providing them with valuable skills that are so desperately needed by employers.”

Local aggregates equipment company McCloskey International donated all of the 36 welding booth structures, and CWB Welding Foundation — a national charity that supports Canada’s welding industry by increasing public safety awareness in welding and addressing the welding skilled trade shortage — funded around half of the project.

“PVNC has proven to demonstrate a great interest and commitment in improving its school welding facilities and upgrading educator welding skills,” said Andrew Bartlett, acting executive director of CWB Welding Foundation.

As part of the newly enhanced welding program, PVNC will also be providing advanced welding training to its welding teachers in order to provide educators with the most current techniques to pass onto students. (Photo courtesy of Galen Eagle / PVNC)
As part of the newly enhanced welding program, PVNC will also be providing advanced welding training to its welding teachers in order to provide educators with the most current techniques to pass onto students. (Photo courtesy of Galen Eagle / PVNC)

“We are proud to partner with and provide funding to organizations like PVNC as their goals align with those of CWB Welding Foundation, to enhance the learning experience of welding students by creating a safer, better equipped shop.”

The new welding booths are being installed this month at Holy Cross and St. Peter Catholic Secondary Schools in Peterborough and St. Stephen Catholic Secondary School in Bowmanville, and will be installed by August 2018 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School in Lindsay, St. Mary Catholic Secondary School in Cobourg, and Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School in Courtice.

“Great things like this don’t just happen,” Nasello said. “They happen because visionary teachers and school leaders, dedicated staff members and generous, civic-minded community members all dedicated to the success of future generations come together. They bring their talents, and their ideas and their resources to the table and out of that they craft a new opportunity where none existed before.”

The new welding booths include shop electrical upgrades, fume extraction equipment installations, curtained welding booth structures, and booth-by-booth welders and related equipment. (Photo courtesy of Galen Eagle / PVNC)
The new welding booths include shop electrical upgrades, fume extraction equipment installations, curtained welding booth structures, and booth-by-booth welders and related equipment. (Photo courtesy of Galen Eagle / PVNC)

Starship featuring Mickey Thomas opens Peterborough Musicfest on June 30

By Paul Rellinger -
Starship featuring Mickey Thomas opens the 32nd season of Peterborough Musicfest with a free concert at Del Crary Park in downtown Peterborough on Saturday, June 20, 2018. (Publicity photo)

If Mickey Thomas’ music career had ended in 1976, he would have exited the stage on a high note.

A backing singer with The Elvin Bishop Group at the time, Thomas was invited to sing the lead vocal on “Fooled Around And Fell In Love”. Elvin Bishop selflessly handed over the reins, figuring Thomas’ smooth singing voice to better suited for the track.

Peterborough Musicfest presents
Starship featuring Mickey Thomas

When: Saturday, June 30, 2018 at 8 p.m.
Where: Del Crary Park (100 George St. N., Peterborough)
How much: free

Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets (lawn chairs are available to rent for $4/chair). VIP seating available for Sponsors and Fest Friends. No smoking, alcohol, or pets permitted. There’s no public parking at Del Crary Park, but there’s neighborhood street parking nearby and ample parking in downtown Peterborough.

That was a very good call. Released as a single, the rock ballad zoomed to #3 on the Billboard Top 100 chart, but more notably it brought Thomas to the attention of Jefferson Starship — the band that evolved out of the pioneering 1960s psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane following the departure of bassist Jack Casady and guitarist Jorma Kaukonen. Jefferson Starship which recruited him as its lead singer in April 1979.

Now, close to 40 years later — after a couple of name changes and a mostly new cast of performers — Starship featuring Mickey Thomas comes to Del Crary Park in downtown Peterborough on Saturday, June 30th at 8 p.m. as Peterborough Musicfest opens its 32nd season of free summer concerts.

VIDEO: “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” by Elvin Bishop featuring Mickey Thomas

For sure, Thomas will perform the song that brought him out of the shadows all those years ago, but expect a full helping of the iconic hit songs that made Jefferson Starship, and later Starship, and now Starship featuring Mickey Thomas, a top-selling staple on the crowded 1980s pop-rock landscape.

“I was flattered to get the call … I at least owed them (Jefferson Starship) the courtesy of going over there and seeing what’s up,” recalls Thomas of the audition call, in a 2013 interview with Nick Deriso of www.somethingelsereviews.com.

“They were going for a harder edge at that point in time. Then here we come with Jane. That was quite a statement. It worked because when you think about it, a lot of what we think of as hard rock bands from back in the day, it all goes back to the blues. With Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, all of those bands, it was about the blues, so it really kind of made sense. We got together and were really able to forge a new style that worked as Jefferson Starship.”

VIDEO: “Jane” – Jefferson Starship

Buoyed by the success of 1979’s “Jane” — it attained #14 on the Billboard Top 100 — Jefferson Starship recorded four albums with Thomas, front-and-centre with the legendary Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane fame in the mix for three of those.

But 1984 brought upheaval when guitarist Paul Kantner, the last remaining founding member of Jefferson Airplane, left Jefferson Starship and took legal action against his former band mates over the Jefferson Starship name. That gave rise to Starship featuring Thomas and Slick.

Starship’s 1985 debut album Knee Deep In The Hoopla produced two huge-selling singles in “We Built This City” and “Sara”. The 1987 follow-up No Protection spawned the monster single “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now”. Featured on the soundtrack of the comedy film Mannequin, it reached #1 in the United States and the United Kingdom, and earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.

VIDEO: “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” – Starship

At the time, it made Slick, at age 47, the oldest woman to have a number one single in the United States — a record later broken by Cher at age 52 courtesy of “Believe” in 1999.

“With Knee Deep In The Hoopla, we definitely made a conscious effort to sort of redefine ourselves and say ‘Let’s go in and try to do a completely different approach to music. Let’s use a different method. Let’s try to have a couple of hit singles. Let’s just go for it.’

“My career, and Starship’s career, has encompassed so much more than just that pop period. Those are the songs that have the lasting value though. They’re the kind of fabric of people’s lives. That’s OK. The success of those songs is one of the biggest reasons why I’m still able to go out and perform 75 to 100 shows a year, and still bring the music to the people. ”

VIDEO: “We Built This City” – Starship

Thomas understands the criticism, then and still now, leveled by diehard Jefferson Airplane fans that see Starship’s commercial pop music success as an affront to the music that defined 1969’s Summer of Love in San Francisco.

“If you wanted to survive, if you wanted to continue to be a viable band and make records, and to stay together, then you better conform to the times,” he says. “At that point in time, it had reached a point that if you didn’t get Top 40 airplay and you weren’t on MTV, then you just weren’t part of the game. You had to have that presence.”

Starship, minus Slick who left the band in 1989, closed out the 1980s with a third album, Love Among The Cannibals,, which featured the top charting singles “Wild Again” and “It’s Not Enough”.

VIDEO: “Sara” – Starship

While Love Among The Cannibals didn’t enjoy anything near the commercial success of Starship’s first two albums, it remains Thomas’ favourite of the bunch.

“It’s just the one that, for my personal tastes, I would enjoy going back and listening to … it still sounds fresh to me,” says Thomas.

“Of course, there was a lot of other stuff going on during the making of that record. Grace had left the band and then Paul was suing the band. Then Grace was suing Paul and Paul was suing Grace, and they were suing our manager. That’s kind of what made me come up with the title and the song Love Among the Cannibals. I thought, ‘Wow, these people kind of exemplify the whole love generation of the late 1960s, peace and love and wearing flowers in your hair and let’s change the world and now all they want to do is sue each other.”

VIDEO: “It’s Not Enough” – Starship

In 1992, Thomas renamed the band Starship featuring Mickey Thomas and 24 years would pass until the band’s next studio project, Loveless Fascination.

The band has undergone a number of personnel changes since its heyday — Stephanie Calvert (vocals), Jeff Adams (bass), John Roth (guitar), Phil Bennett (keyboards) and Darrell Verdusco (drums) are now in the mix — but Thomas’ unmistakable vocals remain the anchor 43 years after Elvin Bishop stepped aside and gave the Georgia-born singer his shot.

And in case you’re wondering, there’ll also be a taste of some of the classic tunes from the band’s namesake Jefferson Airplane.

“Stephanie Calvert and myself do a medley in the show that’s a kind of historical tribute to the band,” Thomas says. “Stephanie performs a couple of Grace Slick’s most notable songs, ‘White Rabbit’ and ‘Somebody to Love.'”

VIDEO: “White Rabbit / Miracles / Count on Me / Somebody to Love” Medley – Starship featuring Mickey Thomas

Peterborough Musicfest is presenting 18 free-admission concerts featuring a total of 20 acts during its 32nd season — each staged on Wednesday and Saturday nights at Del Crary Park.

Overseen by general manager Tracey Randall and staff, a board of directors, and numerous volunteers, Peterborough Musicfest’s stated mission is to “provide diverse, affordable live music to enrich cultural and economic prosperity in our community.”

For more information on this concert or the entire 2018 season, visit www.ptbomusicfest.ca or phone the Peterborough Musicfest office at 705-755-1111.

It’s going to be hot this Canada Day weekend, so leave your pets at home

By kawarthaNOW -

The Canada Day long weekend is shaping up to be a hot one, with temperatures forecast to reach 31°C on Saturday and 34°C on Sunday (Canada Day).

During extreme heat, it’s obvious to most of us that you never, ever leave children or pets unattended in parked vehicles. But it’s not just during a heat wave: even on relatively mild days during the summer, and even with a car parked in shade and with the windows cracked open, the temperature inside a car can reach a deadly level.

Because of the greenhouse effect, within five to 15 minutes the interior of a car can become 30°C hotter than the outside temperature. Cracking the car windows has a negligible effect; it only reduces the interior temperature of a parked car by a single degree. That means that leaving a child or pet in a parked car during the summer can be a death sentence.

There's no excuse for leaving your pet unattended in a vehicle during the summer. (Graphics: Ontario SPCA)
There’s no excuse for leaving your pet unattended in a vehicle during the summer. (Graphics: Ontario SPCA)

Pets are particularly vulnerable to hot temperatures. Dogs, for example, have a limited ability to sweat. This means that even a brief time in a hot environment can be life threatening — irreparable brain damage or even death can occur within minutes when interior temperatures increase over 39°C.

Unfortunately, the issue of owners leaving their pets unattended in vehicles during the hot summer months is a serious and ongoing problem across Ontario.

“People still aren’t getting the message about how dangerous it is to leave your pet unattended in a vehicle,” says Shawn Morey, Executive Director of the Peterborough Humane Society.

“It’s completely unacceptable. Leave your pet at home, and if you must take your pet, make sure that someone is with it at all times.”

VIDEO: “No Excuses. No Hot Pets”

To help raise awareness and safeguard the lives of animals, the Ontario SPCA encourages you to visit www.nohotpets.ca and take the “No Hot Pets” pledge to never leave an animal in a vehicle — and to report it if you see it happen.

Those who make the pledge will receive a free “No Hot Pets” window decal for their vehicles (while supplies last).

Remember: if you see an animal unattended in a vehicle, report it immediately by calling the Ontario SPCA at 310-7722 (no area code needed), your local humane society, or your local police.

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